Eclipses and other happenings

 It's been an eventful few weeks around here.

For one, like a bolt out of the blue, school has started!

We now have a 5th grade and a 2nd grade  Heights Tiger in our house.    Under the care of Mrs. Dawson and Mrs. Cohen respectively, they've gotten off to a solid start.  Except for the month of low level anxiety before the start of school, which manifested in Jack being a general jerk to everyone, the transition has been pretty easy and low key.

I guess compared to all the other craziness in life these days, the return to school has been the easy part. Nigh relaxing. 

Up until  the week before last, after all, we had some serious summer to finish up.

Back to school haircuts...

 ..Wade Oval Wednesdays...

Funny story-  we'd taken photos of these three girls on Melinda's striped blanket for years at Wade Oval Wednesdays.  When we made the plans to meet our friends there this past week, I said-- we really need to get a striped blanket photo.  But, Melinda did not have the blanket with her.  Luckily, these random people near the art tent DID have it-- the same blanket!-- and they were charmed by our story and our girls and were happy to clear the area for a photo...

 Wade Oval was magical that night.  We stayed until darkness fell, listening to the fairly decent cover band and watching light-up helicopters fly into the sky.

 Everywhere, people were dancing and enjoying life. I enjoyed these two older ladies, who were really grooving-- and these lovely girls, whose selfie-taking expanded to a group photo of at least 10 people by the end of it...

 We had to go check out the group of lit-up bicycles, who apparently meet at every WOW and then ride around the area by night...  I loved their little community, their weekly meet-up-- the camaraderie and happiness everywhere...

 I was back at work for a couple of long, busy days on Thursday and Friday-- Teacher work days followed by tutoring-- but that did not keep us from heading to the beach for sunset on Friday. Only our family would leave home for their outing at 7:30 pm!  But it is always worth it when the lake is involved.

 The lake, and the wind, and stacks of stones and waves reflecting the pink light.

 Saturday our boy woke with a sore throat (because of course!) but we did NOT let that stop us from enjoying all the things on a perfect August Saturday in our city.

 The Detroit-Superior bridge was open for historical tours.

 Can't pass up the opportunity to check out the old subway--

 ... the amazing bridge architecture...

 ...and the views!

 Also my exceedingly attractive offspring and spouse caught the attention of a passing photographer and we got these photos out of the deal.  Score.

A walking tour of the new East Bank of the Flats was in order after we left the bridge.  We were charmed.

 Beautiful new boardwalk, an Art Festival in progress, delicious street tacos, and fun patio restaurants...

 ...who knew the Flats would be a family-friendly destination??  We will definitely be back.

 After that we hopped on a trolley to participate in City Hop.  Always one of my favorite days.  The city full of happy people, exploring and discovering what our town has to offer...

 Long lines and a tired boy kept us from taking the green line out to Ohio City, but we did enjoy art and shopping at the Playhouse Square "hub" before heading home.

This girl cranked out 6 pieces of art.  She would have stayed all day at this table.

And because two major events just aren't enough for one day, we also went to the pool.  

 And to the free Verb Ballet performance at Cain Park.

My girl was rapt for the entire performance.  She loves her some ballet.

 Sunday.  Weather was perfect, again.  My poor son learned that in this family, there is just no time to be sick on the last weekend of summer vacation.  We had a beach to get to, after all...

After a somewhat complex start to the day, where we hosted some friends for the morning while their parents were out, and then our dog had another seizure right as we were about to head out to our next adventure, we finally made it to the lake.

So did the rest of Cleveland.    It was AMAZING at Edgewater.  A city-wide party.

 SO many boats pulled in at the dog beach. Music playing, dogs and people swimming and throwing things and laughing, the beach packed with bodies all the way to the end...

After Cor's seizure, when she was slowly recovering at home, we made the executive decision to NOT take her to the vet.  It would cost a lot of money to learn what we already know-- she is old and not well.  And then we'd have to do tests.  Or make decisions we really don't want to make.

So, we decided to take her to the lake instead.

Here she is, enjoying the party.  It really was the most content she'd looked in a while.  She was awesome, walking all the way down to the beach on her own steam, wading happily while we swam.

Then, of course, we had to push it and go all the way down the beach to get to the Kite Fest.  

Cor wasn't the only one who was a little tired and grumpy by this point in the day.

 But it was worth it.  The sky!  The kites!  Delicious sun on our shoulders as we relaxed, dog passed out on the blanket.

 Tired offspring or no, this is always one of our favorite festivals, and a fitting close to summer break...

And then it was Monday. The day.  Not only the first day of school for our family but also ECLIPSE DAY!  The much awaited moment for eclipse-crazed North America.  So many of our friends and family traveled to be in the path of totality (which is one of my favorite phrases now).  We would have been among them, had life been a little bit less complicated just now.  Because despite appearances to the contrary, even in the midst of so many beach days and sunsets, life has been more complex than normal for the past month in our little corner of the world. 2017 has already brought political upheaval, numerous roof leaks, and a dog in declining health (to name just a few of the trials and tribulations we've been facing), and in late July we added to that list a breast cancer diagnosis. Talk about a way to keep life interesting! And put things into perspective.  Following a routine, "Hey, you're 40!" mammogram, and then a follow-up ultrasound, all of a sudden the latter third of my summer became a blurry mix of outdoor fun and doctor appointments, shaded by an uncertainty about the future that only the word "cancer" can provide.  To make a long story short, the eventual outcome of 3 weeks of biopsies, appointments, MRI's, and genetic testing revealed my cancer to be of a slow-growing, treatable, non-hereditary variety.  Within the world of cancer, all great news.  We eventually decided to pursue the least invasive treatment option- a lumpectomy and radiation- and scheduled surgery for August 22nd, the first available date.

Meaning that Eclipse Day really was The Day.  Start school.  Send kids off to a new, exciting year of growth.  Watch sun be eclipsed by moon.  Prepare for surgery and treatment for a life-threatening illness.

We decided to make the best of it.

I started my school year, teaching the morning alongside my long term sub. Claire came to town to help with child care.  We sent the kids off to their first day of school.

We got ready for an eclipse.

Spent the better part of an hour playing around with different ways of viewing, as the eclipse approached its 85% max.  Turns out, eclipse glasses are the way to go.

Also sun hats make for fun eclipse-shadows...

 Then, we headed to the kids' school to watch the show with them.  Events like this need a crowd.  As we waited at the house until 2:00, I felt lonely for my kids, wanting to get there and be with them sooner, to share the experience.

It was so much fun there, full of contagious energy and excitement.

What a way to start the school year!  We joked with the principal about what he was going to offer for the second day of school to top it...

 After standing around in the direct (albeit partial) sunlight for the better part of the afternoon,  we decided a trip to the pool was in order.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely for an hour, in the company of so many friends and neighbors, and then got drenched in a sudden summer downpour.

 The weather cleared in time for Dewey's pizza on the porch and a trip to Piccadilly, because first days of school- and last days before surgery-- are worth celebrating.

 You'll be wanting to know the rest of the long-story-short, I'm sure.  While August 22nd was a long day and not one I hope to repeat again any time soon, all outcomes were positive.  The surgery itself was routine and uneventful, I was back home by 7pm, and we received the wonderful news that there was no evidence of cancer in my lymph nodes. That alone has lifted some of the shade and so much of the fear of the future.  From here, I first work on recovering and healing from surgery, and then have about 6 weeks of radiation, followed by hormone therapy for 5 years.  We'll know more details after September 6th, when I have all of my follow-up appointments and full pathology reports.  But for now, we are optimistic, and I am working on embracing silver linings.

For instance, the silver lining of having surgery and cancer treatments right at the beginning of the school year: lots of inconvenience and sub plans and worry-- but I get to (slowly) walk my kids to school and be home when they get home and sit quietly in the sun to soak up little moments of ordinary life.  In the midst of all of the tumult and emotion and craziness of this year, this summer-- it turns out that I am intensely grateful for moments of ordinary.

We've had a little stray cat visitor every day this week.  Ivy has named her MeowMeow. She's a sweet diversion.

 Five days out of surgery,  I am feeling pretty good.  Back up to doing most of my daily activities, with a little extra rest thrown in.  We, as a family, are doing fine.  Really, as far as cancer journeys go, this one is manageable so far.   We will be OK!  Tough stock around here.   If any of you are wondering if you can help-- really, we are ok!  We are trying not to make too big a deal of this.  Just one more little thing 2017 is throwing at us, and we're not going to let it get us down.  Though if you really want to babysit the kids sometime while Nat and I go out, we wouldn't say no.