Jeremy's summer break comes to an end this week. So, we decided it would be fun to go on a little getaway with a few of his classmates and their families before they begin their rotations. On Sunday afternoon, we all met at Fort Boonesboro State Park for some grilling out and playing beachside at the Kentucky river. We had a lot of fun, although the bees were extremely interested in our cokes! The kids enjoyed playing with all the other kids on the playground, but most of all they enjoyed walking along the edge of the river and playing in the sand. Our kids had never been to a beach before, and although this was a small, man-made beach, it seemed to really impress them. Noah kept talking about how "deep" it was. I guess when your only point of reference is the turtle-shaped sandbox in your backyard, this little beach would seem pretty massive. At the end of the day we were all very exhausted, but had a lot of great memories to think back upon. We always greatly enjoy when our three families can get together. This little group is able to understand one another and the impact that the ups and downs of medical school has on our lives. I'm so glad we get to spend some time together every now and then.

A Summer Date

This evening Jeremy and I had the opportunity to have a wonderful dinner together at the Mansion restaurant. Mia and Noah are both visiting Jeremy's parents for the entire week and sweet Clara is visiting my parents for a few days. This is the first time all three children have been away since Clara was born. We had a great evening at what has become one of our favorite restaurants to eat at together (although we definitely ate too much!). I finally tried sushi for the first time (been wanting to for a while), and actually thought it was pretty good! After dinner, we enjoyed an evening walk through Gratz Park and around Transy's campus. We have wonderful memories of our years at Transy, and although we live in Lexington, we seldom have the opportunity to walk around the beautiful campus where we first met one another. This week has been a wonderful time to be refreshed in our relationship with the Lord and with one another. We miss the kids terribly, but I think they are enjoying their "mini-vacation".

Surprise

1:16 a.m. when Sheri (or so I thought) came to bed

Jeremy: "What have you been doing so late?"
Sheri: "Reading."
Jeremy: "Reading what?"
Sheri: "A home organization book."
Jeremy: "Are you Sheri or did an alien come and take over your body? ...If our house gets organized, then I'll know an alien came and took over your body."
Sheri: "Will you still love me?"
Jeremy: (silence...smile)

The Pacifier

We have a little tradition in the Hart household. On the first birthday of our children I cut a small hole in the end of the pacifier. This slight alteration renders the pacifier inoperable; the suction is completely lost, and it slips right out of the mouth of its unfortunate owner. Of course, there are huge ramifications for a family going through this rite of passage. Children experiencing pacifier withdrawal are generally crankier, and what once were peaceful nighttime routines become extended cry and whine sessions.

This year we broke tradition. I only dared to cut the end off of one of Clara's two pacifiers--pink passy. Perhaps it signifies that we have moved away from the "follow the book to the tee" parenting style that we employed with our first two kids. Or more likely, we needed a plan B just in case she didn't take to the new way of life. I gave her two hours, and that was enough for me. Luckily for me, purple passy was safe and sound. And Clara slept soundly that night. So did I.