This Summer was a bit mellower than some of those that have gone by. With Amara preparing to fly the coop for UO, she wanted to hang out with friends. Havana expressed wanting to work but was not quite ready for that, instead opting to hang out with friends as well and selling clothing on Depop. Still, I had hoped to take the girls on special travel adventure, being this was Amara’s last summer before moving to college as an adult. Time was limited, I had a medical procedure in August and it just didn’t seem in the cards. That didn’t mean however, that we stayed in California the whole summer!
Amara had to attend UO’s orientation so I took them up for a long weekend prior, which coincided with the Oregon Country Fair. We had a fun time exploring bookstores in Eugene, going for a short hike in the 95 degree weather and Amara got to meet one of her roommates when the two of them went out for dinner. While the Country Fair turned out to be underwhelming for us all, the rest of our time was fun. Eugene really is a great town and Oregon overall is a stunning with her deep greens, mountains and hills and trees that cover much of the landscape in that area. When Sunday rolled around. I flew home, the girls stayed and Don flew up and spent the rest of the week with them. Together, they spent a few days on the coast, exploring, thrifting, hiking and even taking in a movie. They had a blast. When it came time for Amara to do her 2 day orientation (which meant overnight in the dorms), Havana hung out on her own while Don did parenting stuff at the University.
I did take the girls on a trip back East. I don’t want to sound entitled or dismissive of a trip to New York and Florida but for someone born in Florida and raised in New York, that is not what I think of when I think of a special travel adventure. And, it was a sad occasion. I had to co-lead the service a heart brother in New York who died suddenly and then in Florida we had a memorial for the spouse of one of bio siblings. Despite the sadness of those who passed, we did make sure to have some good moments as well. Spending time with Bella in Woodstock for a few days is always a gift and seeing family in Florida is also a blessing, despite the reason for being there. We spent a few days in Key Largo, a central point for all us, after a day with Nana.
The rest of the Summer was hanging out with friends, going to the beach, thrift shops, hanging out in Berkley or Walnut Creek and moving around the elephant in the room, which was Amara would be learning soon for college. I think each of us, in our own way, spent the summer trying to digest that most significant milestone.
When I had my surgery, it turned out that summer was the perfect time to recover. The girls were home, they were super helpful and it gave us time to be together. Who knew that I would grow even closer to my two small gems in the summer of 2025.
I learned this summer that whether we have grand adventures, smaller ones or stay at home, the power of our connections and love is really what matters most.
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