This showed up on my daughter's Facebook page today. One of her friends posted this photo from five years ago, taken during Farm Camp in the summer before my daughter entered seventh grade. No doubt you can guess which one is my girl. The group was about to set off on a three-day camping trip, and they paused for the traditional picture in front of the farm house where so many of the best memories of their childhood were made. My daughter is 12 years old in this picture, and next to her are two of her very best friends in the whole world. I can't resist these pictures from back in the day. They provoke such memories. My girl looks happy, doesn't she? She was always happy at the farm. In truth, her disposition bends toward the sunny end of the spectrum, which for a mother like me is the very definition of a blessing.
Angella, next to her is a grown man. You let her be friends with a grown man? How very "modern" of you. Just kidding! Love the photo. I hope that you've been well. I do apologies for going into hiding. I'm still not back to normal but I'm forcing myself to visit my favorite blogs and hoping that it will help. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteI'll see you soon.
Your Friend, m.
Yes and YES!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great photo and that's a really big load of 'stuff' on her back!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun for those kids. Memories for a lifetime.
For Mom too. :)
Sending love, my friend ~
Mark, well, there had be a teacher. but yes, she actually saw him as a friend, too. don't worry, all was well. as far as hiding out, i think perhaps you will come back when the kids are in school and routine reestablishes itself. summers can be insane for parents! always nice to see you though!
ReplyDeleteMs. Moon, agreed!
Gabriele, she still uses that same sleeping bag as a blanket at home every night, and it is the one she took to camp this summer. that sleeping bag has seen a lot of memories being made over the years.
I miss those days when our babies were younger and life seemed simpler. It was so much easier to protect them from this scary world that we must now acknowledge. I pray for my children every night, as it seems sometimes that it is the only thing left that I can do. I have given them the tools, now I must pray that they will use them. Sigh...We had an "incident" this weekend that I cannot even talk about, but it was not at all good for a mother's heart:( Many, many life lessons were extracted from it, but still, can't we just tell them how to live without them having to learn on their own??? I know, I know, they must have their own experiences, but sometimes, I would rather not have to know about a few of them. I do have faith that they will all grow up to be very responsible, level-headed adults and I have almost made it to that point, but there are still some years until that happens. Thank God, they are really good kids.
ReplyDeleteSummer makes us feel nostalgic, doesn't it?
Big hugs and so much love, friend.
oh what adventures await! This must have been a great experience for her and the other kids.
ReplyDeleteDang, I hope I manage to keep this many pictures of my kids organized. Yes, your girl looks happy. But did you know? Your kids always do.
ReplyDeleteDebra, it's true. Children will make you pray. I send my prayers to add to yours. They are such good girls. Love to you.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, she misses the farm. Sometimes she plots to become a teacher so she can teach at her old school and take kids to the farm. she's a funny girl.
grady doc, wait till your boys have facebook pages! then all you have to do is grab the photos you like that their friends put up! i post a lot of photos of my kids on my blog because i want to be able to look back at them. i worry that computers will crash, hard drives will whine with no life, and i will lose digitial images. at least the ones on my blog will be here, assuming blogger keeps doing right by us!
ReplyDeleteSo weird -- I was just looking at a "farm camp" in Pennsylvania that one of my Facebook friends mentioned sending her son, too. If it wasn't so far away, it sounds like it would be a great experience for my Oliver.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, your daughter looks happy!