JV Tourney #1

Cameron played in his first JV tournament today.  It was held at Jimtown and although Cameron did not win a match, he did feel very good about his performance.  He was slotted at number two singles against Northwood and Jimtown to start.  Both of their players were older than Cameron and were extremely consistent.  Cameron learned a lot during the matches and came away with some ideas of what to work on in the future.  His last match was his favorite as he got to play with Aaron at number one doubles against Concord.  They led for awhile, but ended up losing 8-6 after several close games.  All in all it was a good experience for Cameron's first high school tournament.

As soon as Cam finished playing we left for Bloomington.  The match got out a little later than we expected, but traffic was light, so we were still able to make it to Brett's and unload the Pilot before he got out of mass at 5:30.  Our first stop of the night was Pizza Xpress as we knew it would be late before we would eat dinner.  We then headed to Garlic Fest where Meg and Nick met us there.  They had stayed at Brett's last night and enjoyed breakfast with him at Village Deli this morning.  Today they mostly walked around campus before they caught up with us.

Garlic Fest was the same as last year with live music, a beer garden, art tents and garlic booths.  Doug and Parce stayed for several hours while the rest of us caught a little bit of the action and then walked up and down Kirkwood.  I found a couple of IU football items for our front porch, while Meg bought a new IU scrunchie.  Cam looked for something for Bailee, but didn't buy anything.  Cal did not join us.  He had gone to the IU vs Ball State game at Lucas Oil and was too tired to do much else.  We were at the game the last time they played in Indy in 2011.  IU lost that game, but thankfully, that was not the case today.  Since we couldn't attend the game, Cam and Doug had listened to it on the radio on the way down and were pleased that IU was officially 1-0.

Tonight we all went to Mother Bears for pizza. It was a long wait, but no one seemed to mind as there was a lot to talk about.  Once dinner was over, we went back to Brett's to watch The Banana Splits Movie.  Brett had been anxious to see it ever since he had heard about the movie months ago.  It was not everyday that a 1970s children's show became a horror movie.  Death by lollipop and banana car weren't the usual plots for a scary movie, but it did make for several humorous scenes in a show that we could all agree was as bad as we expected.

The Jacket

When Cameron was in second grade he received a new winter coat.  Zipped to the inside of it was a green and blue liner that Cam loved to take out and wear on it's own.  As Cameron never really changed in size over the next four years, it became a staple of his wardrobe.  In fact, I am pretty that he wore it during class everyday of his 5th grade year.

When Cameron started 6th grade, I begged him to get a new jacket.  The underarms of his beloved green and blue one had ripped at the seams.  It was impossible to fix because of the liner.  Even with my pleading and the tears, Cam refused to buy a new jacket.  That was until one day he was outside in our backyard enjoying the beautiful fall weather when I heard the door open.  He had come running in with a panicked look on his face.  No matter what he tried, he could not unzip his favorite outerwear.  I tried several times to get him out of it as did Doug.  There was nothing that worked and the jacket remained zipped up to his neck.  After thirty minutes of effort, Cameron finally agreed to let me cut it off of him.  Although, I had been encouraging him for a year or so to find a new jacket, I felt guilty as I cut along the seam.  Cameron handled it pretty well, especially when Meg reminded him that the same situation happened to Cookie years ago on Ned's Declassified in one of their favorite Nickelodeon shows.  It also helped that he soon found an IU jacket for the fall and spring season.

This August, Cameron came running down from his room with a huge grin on his face.  He had been looking for something in his closet when he came across a special find.  It was his blue and green jacket of long ago.  He put it one and was impressed that it still fit.  The sleeves were a little short, but otherwise it looked alright even with the tears in the underarms.  As he modeled it for us he said that he had a great idea.   He would wear his jacket in his Freshmen school picture.  I don't know who was more shocked, Doug or Cam, when I instantly said, "That's a great idea!"  Thus, on August 19th, he showered, changed, combed his hair and took the most memorable school picture of his life.  It's one that I will cherish for many years to come.

Sportsmanship

The US Women's Soccer team won the world cup this summer for the second time in a row.  Although this was a great accomplishment, it came with a lot of controversy.  Multiple times during the tournament, the team ran the score up on its weaker opponents and zealously celebrated at each goal.  Some, like Nike, thought their obnoxious behavior was a wonderful representation of empowered women in the sports world.  Many others, however, criticized their antics and called it for what I saw it as, unsportsmanlike behavior.  From watching Doug coach over the years, I quickly learned that in soccer a stronger team does not pile on the goals.  Instead it was common courtesy to work on other aspects of the game like passing, trapping and goalie skills.   Excessive celebration in those situations was seen as rude and condescending behavior.  It was unfortunate that the women's soccer team received media attention for their lack of respect in playing weaker opponents.  It has been obvious this fall that some girls' high school coaches have followed suit, winning games by double digit scores.  Thus, humiliating teams instead of demonstrating good sportsmanship and love of the game.

Thankfully, Cameron does not have to deal with any of that year.  His former mentor and four year tennis coach has gone out of his way to teach good sportsmanship by example.  His enthusiasm for the game has been ever present in both victories and loses.  He models positive behavior, encourages his players, and celebrates their success as well as that of their opponents.  Matt's team has been respectful on the court and off.  They have been know to yell, "Let's Go!" or "Great shot!" after a point, but they have also been seen congratulating those from the other team who had an ace or hit a winner.  I noticed last night that Bethany's positive spirit had even rubbed off on the team that they were playing.  One of the boys from Fremont tonight started mocking the Bruin players.  His coach politely told him to "knock it off."  That was a welcome relief as Cam and Austin had just lost in a tough tiebreak.  Before we left, Fremont's doubles team even came over to congratulate Cam on his play this evening.  That's what I love to see in all sports.

Sad News in the Bethany Community

While Cam was at the freshmen retreat the first week of school, his friend Sam had to leave for a family emergency.  His father had been in a bicycle accident while training for a upcoming triathlon.  As we didn't hear much through that weekend, we were all hopeful that "no news, was good news."  Unfortunately, that was not the case and three weeks after his accident he was taken off of life support and died shortly afterward.

Meg, Cam, Doug and I wee extremely sad to hear the news.  Dereck was one of the first parents who reached out to us when Cameron started at Bethany four years ago.  He was a smiling face at all of the Bethany events.  He was friendly and easy to talk to whether about his family, our family or his life as a big animal veterinarian.  Even my mother remembered exactly who he was when I first told her about the accident.  Tragedy can happen at anytime, anywhere.  Hopefully, this will be the last of it for the Bethany community for quite some time.

Back on the Court

Cameron's match last night with Northridge was cancelled due to rain.  Tonight the boys were scheduled to play Concord and thankfully, the rain stopped well before the serves started.  We were surprised to find out that Concord only had twelves members on the team.  Thus, not all of the JV were scheduled to play.  Cameron, fortunately, was was on the number two singles court when we arrived. 

Cameron's opponent was obviously new to tennis.  Therefore, it wasn't too hard of a match with Cam winning 8-1.  He did find several things to work on while he was playing, however.  In fact it was the best that we had ever seen Cam hit his first serve.  After the match, Cam told us that he also worked on hitting his forehand down the right line and maintaining his intensity against a weaker opponent.  All of it worked and Grandma, Grandpa, Doug and I enjoyed watching him play.

Doug had a church meeting tonight at St. Martin's, so he left as soon as Cam was done.  My parents headed to the Chief afterward.  I waited on Cam.  The varsity #2 doubles match had gone to a third set.  With the Bruins and the Minutemen tied at 2-2, the last match of the evening became the most important.  Thankfully, Bethany pulled out the win after two and a half hours on the court.  It made for a long night for me, but I didn't mind.  I talked to Tammy, Breece's mom, and enjoyed our conversation.  Tennis has been different with a JV player.  Cam's matches have either finished well before varsity or at the very end of the evening making for some long nights.  Thankfully, Doug will be free Thursday night to take the late shift. 

Father & Daughter Electric Company

About six weeks ago Cam's ceiling fan stopped working.  The light came on without any issue, but no matter what we tried, the ever important motor would not turn the fan blades. Unfortunately, Cameron's room has always been the hottest one in the house, so I knew that we would eventually have to address the problem.  Thankfully, with Meg at camp and Cal in Indy this summer I was able to utilize all of the box fans from their rooms and keep Cam's somewhat cool.  Therefore, I was able to put off installing a new ceiling fan until everyone was settled in at school.  This weekend Doug and I picked out a new one that I really liked.  We had talked about hiring an electrician as we had two other fans that I was thinking about replacing.  In the end, however, I talked my Dad into helping me just replace Cameron's and we got started on it after lunch this afternoon.

When we first began I wasn't quite sure that I had made the right decision.  It seemed like a lot more work than the lights that my Dad and I had installed in the basement.  Plus, shutting off the breaker to Cam's room also turned off power to the entire upstairs.  Thus, it felt as though we were working in a small, hot room without much light.  The flashlights we had did help and once Mom arrived we had a third pair of hands to hold the extra flashlights, screws, etc.  At that point I knew that it would take time, but I was willing to keep going.

It was tedious work with a lot more parts and areas to attach then the basement fixtures, but after we figured out how to get the old fan out of it's socket we felt confident that we could install the new one.  We made sure to check it each step along the way to ensure that the fan motor would work before getting it all together.  There were some scary moments when the motor didn't run and the light didn't seem to be wired correctly.  Fortunately, we figured both problems out easily and after three and a half hours and several swear words, we were finished.  The fan worked perfectly as did the light.  Nothing fell off the ceiling when we turned it on and it didn't wobble.  Overall, it was a successful afternoon.  I know that my back will be sore tomorrow from lifting so many items above my head during the process, but it was definitely worth saving the $99 installation fee that Lowe's offered to charge us to put it up.

Welcome Week Success

Welcome Week was everything that we had hoped for for Meg and much more.  She found a group of girls on her floor to do things with daily.  She attended several of the scheduled activities that IU offered including the Herman B. Wells game night, late night shopping at Walmart, tie dye, rec fest and culture fest just to name a few.  Meg also signed up for several clubs, walked to all of her classes with Brett, had lunch with HM, received multiple check up texts from Cal, attended a floor meeting and was part of the class of 2023 human IU symbol made on the football field at Memorial Stadium.  Even with all of these social activities going on, she found time to finish her X170 class and attend its fantasy start up session. 

When Meg called tonight, she was absolutely exhausted.  She had just returned from mass and a cookout at St. Paul's.  She was happy with how her week had gone, but was ready to relax and watch Stranger Things on Netflix.  We were so proud of Meg for making an effort to participate in all that  IU had to offer this week and make friends along the way.  She had definitely earned some down time. 

The Final Chapter

While I was at the volleyball tournament watching Bethany's JV team finish second to Wawasee, Cam asked me if I could pull up Cal's Instagram photo.  As I am not on that app often I was so incredibly glad that he said something to me.  There smiling at me were my two favorite seniors with Cal's caption "The Final Chapter."

After seeing the post, I thought a lot tonight about Cal and Jayce's journey over the past eight years beginning during their 8th grade basketball season.  Their friendship goes beyond what I've ever known or witnessed.  One of their roommates told me last fall that sometimes he gets overwhelmed being with the two of them.  He is positive that Cal and Jayce are able to read each others' thoughts.  I knew that he was correct.  They learned to communicate without talking many years ago on the long bus rides to and from basketball that had to be endured in silence. 

Thinking of those two fourteen year olds starting high school together, navigating not only its hallways, but also friends, girlfriends, teachers, family made me smile today.  Each would have enjoyed IU without the other, but being there together has made that experience all the better.  They truly are brothers in arms, bounded by a shared journey.  Their loyalty is ever present, yet, they are not afraid to challenge one another either.  It is this ability to push each other that has brought out the best in each one.  They've shared good times and bad and have had so much fun along the way.  Smiles, laughter, stories, and common experiences have helped them to create memories that will last a lifetime.  I know that this may be their "Final Chapter" at IU, but I am ever so glad, however, that this won't be their final chapter as friends. 

Ladies Night

Tonight was ladies night, or as Mary called it, "Old Ladies Night."  She had texted me first thing this morning to see if I was available for dinner.  Doug and I had just been talking about what we were going to do this evening, and since we didn't have any set plans, he encouraged me to join my friends for dinner.  I offered for everyone to come over to our house, order out, and enjoy our back patio.  Mary took me up on it and let me know later in the day that Paula, Betsy and Wendy would be joining us as well. 

Since I had plans, I texted Cam to see what he wanted to do tonight.  He decided to have Conner spend the night with the idea of going to the JV volleyball tournament at Wawasee tomorrow.  With Cam and I busy, Doug planned on grilling a pizza, reading a book and enjoying a bonfire.  The night went well for everyone.  I really appreciated seeing my Milford friends.  Paula caught us up on life as a high school teacher while Mary talked about her plans for 7/8 science.  Wendy was still adjusting to the new schedule in special education and Betsy was enjoying her new 6th graders.  We also talked about family and friends and our plans for the fall.  While we were chatting on the back porch and eating salads from Sleepy Owl, Doug hung out by the fire and Cam and Conner threw around the frisbee.  It was a beautiful night to enjoy our backyard.  I was thankful that we all were able to take advantage of it.

And Then There Were Three

It was the first day in the Heinisch Home with only half of us in attendance.  It felt strange, but not as much as I had anticipated since Meg spent most of her summer at camp.  This will be our new normal and we have been preparing for it, so it was not quite as sad as it may appear to outsiders.  Plus, it was really neat to check Meg's location on Find My Phone and see Brett and Cal near by.  Meg also checked in several times today, which was really nice as she didn't have that capability at camp.  The only thing out of the ordinary was seeing her during her camp break.

I spent my first day as a mother of only one at home by walking on the Goshen College path.  I then picked up the house and unpacked from our two days in Bloomington.  I worked on my Blog and made it back to Goshen in time to see Cam and his partner, Theo, destroy the Redhawks number one team at JV doubles.  They were the first ones off of the court, and because the match was incredibly quick, Doug was able to watch the majority of it before he left to attend a special County Council meeting.  My parents were at Cam's match as well and headed to The Chief when it was over. 

Since Cam was watching the rest of the JV matches before going to the varsity competition at Bethany where the team would eat dinner at its conclusion, I decided to get a little bit of shopping done at Walmart.  When I returned to Bethany, four of the varsity courts had completed their matches.  Number one singles was headed into a third set which ultimately ended with a tie break victory for the Bruins pair.  It extended the evening a little more than I had planned.  In fact Doug was home from his meeting before Cameron and I arrived.  We appreciated that he had dinner ready for us.  Our first day with our new normal was a little long, but overall it was a nice one. 

Move In Day

Today was the day that Meg had been anxiously awaiting all summer - Move In Day!!  We arrived at Read a little bit after 8 a.m. and by 8:30, thanks to Cal and Brett's help, we had the majority of her possessions in her room.  She was given a single on the 6th floor and I was pretty sure that it was the same room that I had my last year in the dorm.  No matter what, it was special that she was moving into the same dorm that Doug and I met in thirty years ago.  Her room was a lot smaller than I remembered.  They renovated Read several years ago and added air conditioning to each room.  In doing so, they took out the closets.  Thus, all of the rooms had a large armor and dresser which took up quite a bit of space.  Because of the change in size, we didn't even try to get Meg's chair or rug into her room.

Once Cal, Doug and Brett moved everything into the room, they went back to Brett's to pick up Meg's refrigerator.  They also bought a few items that we needed and stopped by Cal's new house.  Brett said that it reminded him of Aunt Jan's home.  We had gotten a lot done when they returned.  Meg had the majority of her clothes put away and I had made good use of her shelves.  After the fridge was set up, the guys left to get Cal's dressers out of his friend's house.  Unfortunately, no one was at their home.  Brett and Doug returned after they dropped Cal off at his new place.  We were almost finished when they arrived.  We appreciated Doug making Meg's bed and Brett's help getting the Amazon FireStick set up. 

We finished Meg's room around 12:30.  She did not have a suite mate when we left.  We figured that one would move in sometime soon.  We let her pick our lunch stop, Crazy Horse.  The food was good and we all felt a lot better after we ate and rested.  Afterward, Doug dropped Meg and I off at the Wells Library.  She wanted to find the office for Disability Services.  It was pretty easy to get to once we asked where the elevators were.  She and I then walked through Read to Spruce so that she could see where everything was located.  Doug met us back at the dorm with Meg's leftover Mother Bear's pizza.  She wanted it for dinner.  We gave her hugs before we left.  I was sad, but happy that she had made plans with someone to go to the Freshmen induction ceremony.  I know that the next couple of days will be hard, but soon Meg will have more friends than she can count.

We stopped at Brett's for a little bit before we headed out.  He had a couple of small projects for us.  He planned to relax the rest of the night as he had been working quite a bit lately.  While we were there we got an email letting us know that Cal's bed frame was at the FedEx office.  We picked it up for him and stopped by his house next.  Cal was at the neighbors, but met us at the door.  His house did remind me of Aunt Jan's.  It definitely was a step up from the last two.  Doug was able to get the bed frame put together fairly easily while I got his mattress ready.  His room was tight, but the bed fit.  Therefore, he should be able to get everything in that he needs. 

We said goodbye to Cal after we took a tour and started for home.  The traffic was heavy getting onto I-69, so we decided to stop at Oliver Winery.  It was nice to relax a little bit after such a busy day.  I got a text from Meg while we were there.  She had already met several of the girls on her floor and had plans to go to the ice cream social and painting party at Read tonight.  I was extremely glad to hear that as it made our trip home a whole easier.

Bloomington Bound

Meg and I spent the day getting the last minute items done for her trip to Bloomington.  We were pleasantly surprised with how much we could fit in the van.  I saw a picture of a room at Read this week and they definitely looked smaller than I had remembered.  Hopefully, we can fit everything in that she would like to have.

Doug got home at 3:40 and we were ready to go.  The trip down took longer than normal as there was heavy traffic on US 31 and several downpours.  We made it, however, before 8 p.m.  Brett had just gotten home from a meeting at church.  We unloaded the items we had for him and the bags we brought for ourselves.  Even with those out of the van, we still had to take Brett's car to dinner.  Mother Bear's was a lot less crowded than we thought it would be and we were seated within ten minutes.  The pizza was good as always.  Brett and Doug stayed after the meal to finish their beers.  Meg and I walked to her dorm so that she could get her bearings.  She felt a lot more comfortable after that.

                           


Once we got back to Brett's, Meg FaceTimed Nick.  He was proud of his newfound laundry skills. Doug, Brett and I spent the rest of the evening on his deck.  He has an awesome apartment and we really appreciate him letting us stay there on our frequent visits.

Visiting Mrs. Meek

Since Meg and I got so much done yesterday, we decided to go shopping early this afternoon.  Our main objective was to purchase some Nike shorts and a ring holder.  Meg found the shorts at Dick's and purchased three pair.  We stopped at Kohl's and purchased the cutest whale that will work perfectly for her rings.  The only other stop that we had to make was at American Eagle.  Meg wanted to buy jeans from their online sale, but didn't know her true size.  After trying a few on, she felt confident in what she needed.  Meg's favorite stop in South Bend was Papa Vino's for lunch.  She got her usual lasagna and I tried the manicotti.  Both were delicious.

Our main objective of the afternoon was to finish our shopping in time to meet Mrs. Meek.  Meg had not seen her all summer and definitely wanted to catch up with her before she left for IU.  We both had a fantastic visit with her, filling her in on all that Meg had been up to and listening to her summer adventures.  We were sad to hear about her dog Lily.  Mrs. Meek had to put her down several weeks ago due to illness.  It was nice to see Izzy out and about, however.

We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with Meg's beloved piano teacher and visited for well over an hour before heading to Cam's tennis match.  Meg was glad to go to the match as several of her friends were there.  She and Sarah ran to get food at Culver's before Cam's match started.  He was slotted as #2 singles on the JV team and played very well.  The first four games went to deuce and unfortunately for Cam, he lost each one of those close games.  He rebounded well, however, and won three out of the next four before losing 8-3.  The coach scheduled him for a doubles match afterward, but Cam had to retire with a 4-0 lead.  His back had tightened on him and he could barely stand up.  We got him some ice and Ibuprofen before we left and had him do stretches and heat once we got home.  Hopefully, he will be able to play tomorrow, but right now, he's not sure.

All Packed Up & Ready to Go

Since I had time this afternoon, Meg and I decided to get the rest of her items packed for IU.  She had gotten a lot of done already.  We just needed to get the last minute items ready to go.  Once we finished with all of that, we were able to rearrange her room, vacuum and dust it.  Doug was a big help today, and even got everything into the van for her. 

Cal had told me all week that he was going to leave tomorrow morning.  About 2 p.m. today he changed his mind and started packing for Bloomington.  I was a little stressed at first as I didn't have all of his laundry done, but was able to get most of it done before he left.  Thankfully, I will be able to give him the rest later this week.

Meg invited Philip, Sasha, Naomi, Rachel, Sarah and Mariah over for the evening.  They planned on having a bonfire, but the weather did not cooperate.  Instead they settled for pizza and the Wii.  It was fun listening to them, although Cam did point out to us as we were playing Oh Hell that it was actually called "Just Dance", not Just Sing!!  Either way Doug and I were glad that they could all get together before Meg left for college. 

Saturday with Friends

Today was a busy day for the Heinisch children at home.  Cam had tennis practice.  Afterward he went to the boys' soccer scrimmage and then brought Joey home with him for the rest of the weekend.  The boys had a lot of fun playing games inside and out.  The basketball court saw a lot of action as did the basement.  Cal joined them in the backyard for awhile, tossing the football around.  They also enjoyed the brats that Doug grilled and topped dinner off with dessert from Joe's with Meg.

While Cam was busy with Joey, Meg hung out with Kaitlin.  They started at her house spending time on the lake and ended at ours talking about their move to college next week.  Cal had fun tonight as well going to dinner with Hannah-Marie and stopping by home afterward.  Since everyone was busy, Doug and I invited my parents down to play cards.  They had attended my Mom's alumni banquet first and had stories to share once they arrived.  All in all, it was a relaxing Saturday in the Heinisch home, one that we all enjoyed. 

Vegas

Cal arrived early this morning from his weeklong trip to Las Vegas with Mark, David and Jayce.  He had texted us many times this week to keep us updated on his activities over the past four days.  He hit it big at the slots on day two, but lost that rather quickly playing Black Jack.  He learned how to play virtual roulette, but his favorite activity may have been virtual horse racing.  Cal said that he really enjoyed the food while they were there, especially the buffets.  They also spent a lot of time at the pool at the Hard Rock Hotel.  I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the trip.  I trusted them, but was worried because of all of the stories about Vegas.  It probably didn't help that we had seen each of the Hangover movies this past winter.  In the end I was extremely happy to hear that it went so well for the four of them.  I know that they made memories that would last a lifetime.  I did get a kick out of David's post on Twitter shortly before they flew home, however.  Thankfully, it was just a joke and soon Cal was asleep on our couch catching up on all that he missed while on vacation.

Let the Games Begin

Today was definitely a stressful one for me.  Cal texted me late last from Vegas and said that he needed a guarantor form signed for his new house in Bloomington.  As that wasn't stated in the lease, it was the first any of us had heard about it.  In general Doug hasn't preferred to guarantee Cal's living arrangements.  We pay the rent, so we have never had to worry about that.  It was the damages to the property and personal liability that had bothered him.  We have no control over what Cal and his friends do in college and really do not feel a need to be overly involved.  With Doug getting back last night after 11p.m. from Toronto  and having a business meeting scheduled first thing this morning, he wouldn't have time to look through the lease and call our insurance until the after lunch today.  One of Cal's roommates was scheduled to move in this afternoon, so it became a stressful situation around 11 a.m. today as I tried to sort it out for everyone.  Thankfully, our insurance agent was available.  He was able to get Cal a renter's insurance policy and also could assure me that our policies would cover us if there was a serious issue.  Thus, by 1 p.m. Doug was able to sign what Cal needed for his roommate to move in as scheduled.

While all of this was going on, Meg and I were at Walmart buying her supplies for college.  Shopping for college can be overwhelming in its own right, but today it had an added twist with Cal's housing situation.  I felt bad that I was distracted with it while we were first shopping, but in the end we found everything that we needed.  We were also able to stop at Kohl's and Target as well which was definitely less stressful and a lot more fun.  I was glad that we ended on a high note having time to stop at Hacienda for lunch when we were done.

Meg had plans to hang out with her tennis friends this evening at the Brew and Doug worked until 7:30.  Thus, Mom and I were the only ones available to go to Cam's tennis scrimmage in Angola.  I was afraid that we would be late, but we made it just as the teams were announced.  Cam played two sessions tonight.  The first was with Austin at number one JV doubles.  They won 6-1 and looked great on the court.  Cam played very well in the second session also, winning his singles match 4-1.  He said that Matt thought Austin and Cam were a very strong JV doubles pair, but that he would also need them to play singles at time during the season.  Cam was excited about that and Grandma and I were happy to have seen him play in his first high school scrimmage.

                  

Packing

Meg started packing for college this afternoon.  Thankfully, IU gave her a detailed list of what she would need, what she might want, and what she could not take.  Between that and knowing what Brett and Cal took their freshmen years, it really wasn't as daunting as she thought it would be.  The hardest part was sorting through her room and finding space for everything.  We finally moved a lot of the items downstairs, knowing that it would take up the dining room area.  Since it would be moved out soon, I didn't panic about the mess like I normally would have.

With Nick already at Purdue and Meg starting the process of moving to IU, she and I have definitely been talking a lot about college.  She's excited and nervous.  She will know a lot of people already, but is anxious about the thought of making new friends.  She's heard mixed reviews about having a single, but overall I believe it will be the best for her.  Meg still has difficulty with headaches, so having her own room will allow her time to rest if she needs it.  It will also give her a quiet place to study.  Meg is outgoing and has already survived changing schools as a junior and being a camp counselor.  We know that she will do well in her transition to IU, just as she did in those situations.  The first week might be a little overwhelming, but after that I believe she will feel right at home.  

Toronto

Doug left this afternoon for a board meeting tomorrow in Toronto.  He had been working all week on his presentation and had prepared for it quite extensively.  He flew out of Midway, and due to traffic only arrived an hour before flight time.  Being that Doug prefers to be at the airport at least three hours early, he was nervous that he wouldn't make it through customs in time.  Thankfully, the airport was not crowded, and he was able to board without incident.  He did forget to take his Dramamine, but said that it didn't matter as the flight was short and turbulent free.

Doug checked into tonight before I went to bed.  He said that they had a nice dinner across the street from the hotel.  He was ready for his part of the meeting, but thought that he'd practice one more time before tomorrow afternoon.  His trip won't be long as they fly out shortly after it is over.  I was glad for that as I did not sleep well last night.  With helping Meg get ready for college and Cal spending the week in Vegas, I wasn't quite ready for Doug to be gone.  Thankfully, I was able to take care of one pressing issue with our football tickets and also find Brett a great deal on a new printer.  Those at least made me feel a little less anxious.

Last Day

Today was Nick's last day of summer as he leaves for Purdue tomorrow morning.  Since Meg had been at camp for the majority of the summer, they tried to get in as much fun this past week as time would allow.  They went to the movie Lion King, ate at several of their favorite restaurants, visited the Toledo Zoo, hung out with friends, and spent a day at Deep River Water Park.  Although they had been used to being apart from Meg's time as a camp counselor, they were both sad tonight when they said goodbye.  As hard as it was to part, Nick stated several times tonight that he was ready.  He had packed, met his roommate and wanted to get started on all that college had to offer.  We wished him well at Purdue and planned to see him when he visits Meg on Labor Day weekend.  Starting tomorrow we will begin helping Meg get ready for her departure next week. 

 

Sunday, Funday

Cal arrived just before lunch today.  His last day at Miso for the summer was Friday morning.  He said that they took the interns to breakfast and then let them all go home.  He was very pleased with how work had gone for him.  He will stop back at Miso on Monday the 19th to pick up a new laptop as he will continue to work for them during the school year.  He was happy to announce that they were even going to raise his hourly wage.  Cal moved out of his hotel Saturday morning and then spent that day helping a friend of Evan's family move as well.  The second move was a lot more work than he expected, but he was glad to help.  They paid him $50 which he put to good use with dinner at Fogo de Chao.  He thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Cal spent most of the afternoon at home getting ready for his trip to Las Vegas.  He, Mark, Jayce and David were scheduled to fly out at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning.  Since David lived in South Bend, they decided to stay at his place tonight.  Mark and Jayce left in the early evening, but Cal waited so that he could go to dinner with Hannah-Marie.  We were excited for him.  He and his friends had been planning this trip for quite some time.  

Meg spent her day with Nick at Deep River Water Park.  They had a lot of fun, but weren't sure that they would be going back anytime soon.  It was a lot dirtier than Meg remembered.  On the way home they stopped at one of our favorite mini golf spots before eating at Buffalo Wild Wings.  

With everyone else busy, Doug, Cam and I decided to go to South Bend for some shopping, mini golf and dinner.  Doug needed clothes for work, so Cam and I dropped him at Kohl's while we went to Barnes & Noble.  I found a new planner, and Cam bought the first book of the series "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark."  Brett saw the movie over the weekend and said it was very good.  We finally were able to play the second course at Putt Putt tonight.  It was definitely tougher than the one we had been playing.  That must have been what Cam needed as he beat both Doug and I this evening in a very intense match with our scores at 35, 36, and 37.  After mini golf we tried a new restaurant - Heavenly Goat.  We weren't sure we would like it at first as the service started off slow, but once we got a waitress and our food we were all very happy with our new find.  

Everyone was home when we got back.  Cal and HM enjoyed their dinner at Pat's Chicago Dogs.  Meg and Nick were visiting with Grandma and Grandpa in the living room.  After the Heinisch children got settled for the evening, Doug, my parents and I played a round of Oh Hell.  Doug had been hoping to redeem his name as a card player, but this time instead of my Mom winning, my Dad destroyed us all, therefore foiling Doug's plan.  Either way it was a lot of fun as always. 

A Day at Home

Doug had a lot of work to do to get ready for his board meeting this week, so we decided to stay home today.  I didn't mind as I was still tired from all of the walking and cleaning that I had done once Cam started school.  I decided to get all of our laundry done, as I knew that Cal would be bringing a lot home tomorrow.  Cam did have practice this morning which he said went well.  Meg spent the afternoon at Nick's family reunion.  She enjoyed it, although all of Nick's cousins were older then they were.  She did come back to check in before the Camp Crosley end of the summer banquet.  She had a lot of fun at it and came home with a new shirt, a yearbook and a signed picture.  Overall, she was happy that she did not work this week.  There were very few campers and a lot of cleaning to be done. 

Doug grilled out tonight which we all appreciated.  It was a beautiful evening to eat outside.  My parents joined us and after we cleaned up, we started a game of Oh Hell.  My Mom destroyed us once again, but we have all gotten used to that.  Cam took a break after the first game and we only made it through half another one before we called it a night.  We couldn't take anymore beatdowns.  Doug was asleep almost as soon as we turned on television.  It didn't surprise me as he had put in more than a full day. 

Freshmen Retreat

Cameron and his classmates left yesterday for a two day retreat at Camp Mack.  As they couldn't take their cellphones, I hadn't heard anything from him until I dropped off his tennis racket at 3:30 this afternoon.  He had had a lot of fun.  They had done a lot of team bonding activities, canoed, cooked on the open fire, played games and enjoyed their time together.  Cam's cabin was filled with his friends and we were so glad that they had this opportunity.

Meg and Nick spent their day at the Toledo Zoo.  They both enjoyed it.  Meg sent me several pictures throughout the day of all of the animals.  They stopped at BJ's in Fort Wayne on the way back.  Cameron went to the PTO kickoff after practice, so we were free until seven. Doug had had a busy week with a trip to Chicago and a new payroll company to switch over.  We decided to go to Constant Springs for dinner to unwind.   We enjoyed catching up and then visiting with Cam's new and old teachers at Bethany before heading home.  We just made it back before Meg and Nick arrived.  Grandma and Grandpa showed up around the same time, so we decided to play cards.  It was a relaxing way to start the weekend.

A Quiet Day at Home

I walked again after I dropped Cam off at school.  I got home in time to see Meg before she left to go shopping with Nick.  Meg had to pick up her order from Hollister and Nick needed to buy dress shoes.  While they were gone I decided to weed all around the house.  It has never been my favorite job, but I knew that I had better get it done before it got out of control.  It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I also cleaned the front porch and back deck.  After five hours of weeding and cleaning everything looked great, but I was ready for a break. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon resting as much as possible.  Meg and Nick were home for awhile, but only long enough for her to get ready for her dinner with Sophie.  As Cam was on a retreat and Doug had county council, it was pretty quiet in the Heinisch home after Meg left.  I had started watching Breaking Bad on Netflix after I finished Riverdale, but tonight I decided to watch something I knew that no one else in the Heinisch family would be interested in - a 90210 reboot called BH90210.  I had never really considered watching it, but the more I read about it, the more I thought "Why not?"  I had been one of the biggest Beverly Hills 90210 fans when the show was poplar in the nineties.  Even with that, I probably wouldn't have even considered it had I not reconnected with one it's major stars, Luke Perry, who played Archie's father on Riverdale.  He had died unexpectedly of a major stroke in February.  Therefore, I wanted to see how BH90210 would handle the loss of my favorite character.  All in all the new show was actually better than I thought it would be.  I doubt anyone who wasn't a fan of the show would agree, but it kept me entertained.  They did mention the loss of Perry several times doing the show, and ended with a tribute to him that made me tear up a little.  Overall, it was a nice way to spend a quiet evening waiting for Doug to get home. 

Time For Change

After I dropped off Cam and walked this morning, Meg and I drove to the eye doctor.  She needed to order new glasses and wanted to get them in before she left for IU.  On the way back we picked up Bourbon Street pizza for her lunch and Cam's dinner.  The rest of Meg's afternoon was spent on her class and the required My Body program for all incoming Hoosier Freshmen.  Neither were too exciting, but she did get a lot done before she left to hang out with Nick and have dinner with Mariah.

While Meg and I were together today, we had a lot of time to talk.  One of our main conversations revolved around the two mass shootings that happened last weekend.  Although separate incidents, they were each violent leaving over 30 people dead and many more wounded.  We both felt terrible for the victims, but were also tired of all of the social media posts blaming anyone and everyone for the tragedy.  It wasn't that we didn't agree with them, we were just tired of reading about each individual's thoughts on why this was the Presidents fault, or the Republicans, or the police, or mental illness, or Congress, or the NRA, etc.  Everyone may or may not be right, but over the years I just don't see how any of the arguing on Facebook has made any difference.  It seems to have fallen on deaf ears.  If twenty, first and second graders losing their lives in the Sandy Hook shooting seven years ago didn't change the laws or stop the violence, I don't see where a few social media posts will do much.

Thus, Meg and I decided today that we are tired of listening to the blame.  We are ready for changes in our lives.  If that means that we have to walk through a metal detector each and every time that we buy groceries, then we are ok with that.  When we visit Disney World we realize that it is the outside security to get into the park that makes all of the difference.  Metal detectors, bag checks, no guns allowed, all make it not only the happiest place on Earth, but also the safest.  We have flown a dozen times over the years.  Each time we have done so, we have had to walk through a full body screening machine.  I have never felt violated.  Instead I have felt thankful that I would be flying on a plane safe from terrorists.  When we took Cal to the Final Four in 2016, only clear bags were allowed in the stadium.  It made for a quick and easy walk through security.  There were no complaints and no mass shootings in Houston that weekend.  I know that there are many who would say, "We shouldn't have to live with increased security.  It violates our freedoms."  They are right, we shouldn't have to do any of this, but the reality is that this is the world that we live in.  I would love it if we could pass a law that would stop the carnage, but making gun ownership illegal would not eliminate guns.  It hasn't worked for drugs, and won't for guns either.  Thus, I relinquish my right to walk into a public place without a metal detector or security guard present.  It may not be a popular opinion, but I just want my family to be safe.  If increased security and carrying a clear bag wherever I go is what it takes, then I am ready for the change.  

First Day of the Ninth Grade

Cameron's first day started without incident.  He was up early and ready to go well before we left at 8 a.m.  We had packed everything last night, so there wasn't much to do this morning.  I was thankful for the late start on the first day.  It made the transition back to school a lot easier.  We got the obligatory first day picture, although, we took it at an unusual spot, the church across from Wawasee High School.  It represented not only his first day of school, but also the end of his Pokemon Go summer as it was the closest Poke Stop to our house. 

The rest of my day was a quiet one as Meg was busy most of the day.  I was able to take a walk and buy groceries.  I also started cleaning the house.  I was impressed that by the end of the day I was at 18,000 steps.  My legs could definitely feel it.  Doug picked Cameron up from practice.  He filled us in on his first day.  Tennis went well and he liked most of his classes.  He wasn't too sure about Environmental Science and Spanish, but otherwise he was excited about them.  He did have one hitch to his day, he switched study hall and Spanish attending the wrong classes.  He had it figured out for tomorrow, however, so it shouldn't be a problem gong forward.    I told him what Meg said to us after her start to eighth grade.  About halfway through the first day that year she thought to herself, "Why was I so excited to come back."  Cam could relate, but overall, it went about as well as could be expected.  With this being our eleventh year of having a Heinisch child in high school I do know that we were more than prepared for his first day. Only 179 more to go!

Last Day of Summer

Ok, so it wasn't technically the last day of summer today, but for Cameron it may as well have been since school starts tomorrow.  We tried to squeeze as much fun into it as possible.  First, Cameron went golfing with my Mom in the morning.  Then he, Meg and I went to lunch.  We planned on taking him to Hacienda, but on our way there he mentioned that he really liked Moe's Southwest Grill.  Meg informed us that there was one in Warsaw.  We decided to try that instead and everyone was happy with their burrito.  With all of the leftovers, Cam was even set for lunch tomorrow.  Originally, we had planned to go shoe shopping today as well.  Cameron's favorite pair of tennis shoes blew out this summer and Meg had been wearing hers for a least a year.  Thankfully, there was a Shoe Carnvial in Holland yesterday, so we could skip that chore today. 

This afternoon we played Swap Meet on the Wii.  Meg even joined us.  Afterward Cam had his first day of high school tennis practice.  Doug picked him up after practice.  Cam  really likes him team, which should make the season a lot of fun.  Doug felt that playing a fall sport Freshmen year was a great way for him to transition into high school.  It sounds like it will be that way for Cameron as well.  Once he and Doug got home the three of us headed to Oakwood to eat dinner.  It wasn't crowded and the outside area was open, thus, making our last night out of summer a wonderful evening for all.

Pure Michigan

Doug, Cam, Meg and I decided to take a trip to Michigan today.  We were up early so that we could make it to New Holland Brewing Company for lunch.  The pepperoni pinwheels were delicious as always.  Meg stuck with those as her meal, but Doug and I also tried their asparagus with egg while Cam had a craft hamburger.  After lunch we walked the streets of Holland.  There weren't a lot of stores open, but we had fun anyway.  We talked about going to Windmill Island, but decided instead to walk through Centennial Park to see the Wizard of Oz shrub display.

Our next stop was the Saugatuck Dunes State Park.  We walked a 3/4 mile trail through the woods to the dunes.  It was hilly, but it wasn't as tough as I remembered.  The sand was hot to start, but we enjoyed it once we were able to walk along the beach.  Cam and I spent some time throwing the frisbee before we headed back.  The return trip was a little more challenging as there were several big hills in the sand and in the woods.  We made it without incident, however, and rested in the Pilot on the way to our final stop - Downtown Saugatuck.

Out of all of the places in Michigan, Saugatuck, has always been my favorite.  It was no different today.  Unlike Holland, all of the stores were open and packed with customers.  We each did a little shopping, but didn't spend very much.  I found a drying cloth for my counter and Meg got a shirt.  While we were out walking, we noticed that there were a lot more restaurants than the last time we were there.  That looked great to us as we always thought that was the only thing missing in our favorite Michigan stop.  Before we left, we had one last stop - Kilwin's  for fudge,  It was a wonderful snack for our trip home.  

She's Done and She's Done

Cal arrived yesterday afternoon ready to spend the weekend with his friends.  He first caught up with HM last night and then hung out at Jeremy's.  Today his group all met at the Knights' hall for a pancake breakfast.  Meg entered the door at noon, sad to be done with camp.  The managers thought that she would be there until next Saturday and had even assigned her a cabin.  She really wanted to stay, but knew that she had a paper to finish for her Kelley class.  This was also to be her last week to hang out with Nick before he left for Purdue and she didn't want to miss that.

Meg spent the majority of her day working on her research paper.  She had finished all but citing the references earlier in the week.  It took some time this afternoon, but she finally got it all done.  She also had other homework for class, but that wasn't as taxing.  Thus, at 5 p.m. she submitted her first research paper at the Kelley School of Business.  It was a relief for her.  She took some time to relax and then left with Nick to spend the evening at his Uncle's lake house in Union, Michigan.

The rest of us stayed home tonight.  Doug cooked brats and hamburgers on the grill.  Cal and his friends showed up just as we started.  I was thankful that Doug cooked extra and that my Mom brought up a crockpot of macaroni and cheese.  There definitely weren't a lot of leftovers by the end of the evening.

Ivanhoe's

I left this morning with Paula, Mary and Wendy to visit Debbi in central Indiana.  They had picked Ivanhoe's in Upland as our meeting place.  I had never heard of it, but several of the women had been there and really liked it.  It was originally a drive-in catering to nearby Taylor University students.  Today, it was an absolutely packed restaurant with a large menu of ice cream sundaes and shakes. 

Everyone ordered a sandwich to start and we found a booth in the back.  Wendy wasn't feeling the best, so she decided to lie down for a little while on the benches outside.  The rest of us spent the next two hours catching up.  Paula and I talked a lot about Gabby and Meg's experiences as camp counselors.  From what we had heard from both girls, they would definitely like to be back at Camp Crosley next summer.  Mary updated us on her position as either coach or teacher for the upcoming school year.  Unfortunately, administration still hadn't heard about the grant to retain her as a coach.  Thus, she may not know until school starts exactly what she would be doing.  Paula also gave us the details on her room at the high school.  She was excited about the transition.  Although it had been challenging, Debbi stayed with her job as a social worker.  She said that it wasn't much different than teaching, but it sounded hard to me.  As I was not used to sitting inside for an afternoon I asked everyone if we could move out to the benches to enjoy the fresh air.  Wendy was feeling better and everyone agreed that it would be nice to be outside.  Before we left we ordered Ivanhoe's ice cream.  The dessert list was long and hard to read, but everyone who wanted something found a shake or sundae to try. 

I was hoping to be home at 6:30, but we didn't leave until after 5.  Wendy felt awful on the way home, so we stopped more than normal making our return trip longer than expected.  None of us minded, we just felt bad for Wendy.  I made it home at 7:30.  Doug didn't mind as he had the house to himself.  Cam was at First Friday's in Goshen.  Doug and I chose Hacienda for dinner so that we could pick Cam up on our way back.  It was hard to sit again, but it was nice to spend some quiet time with Doug and fill him in on my day.  Even with all of the downtime today, I was still able to get my 10,000 steps in before calling it a night.  Cam helped out with the last 1,000 as we walked the neighborhood together after dark. 

Taking a Break

Meg spent the afternoon at home yesterday working on her class for Kelley.  She finished the majority of her research paper that is due on Saturday at midnight.  She decided tonight to take a break form the business school and go to dinner with the other camp counselors.  Doug had read her paper and agreed that she had make a lot of progress, so instead of coming home, she headed to Warsaw with Sophia.  She texted later that she had a great time.

The rest of the night was a quiet one here.  Cam played golf.  He was glad to have finished his last day of tennis conditioning.  It wasn't quite as intense today as Matt had to work at school, so one of the seniors led it.  Cam was still sore afterward, but not like he was on the previous three days.  I haven't minded taking him as I have been able to walk while he's at tennis.  It's a lot easier to get my steps in for the day if I start first thing.   It was also good practice for me as I plan to walk daily on the Goshen College trail after I drop Cam off at school.