This was Amelia's first week back in school, after what has been the best summer break yet, imho. If I had to label it, it would be "The summer of Lydia and Amelia's Grand Adventure, kindly do not interupt..." or some such.
Lydia and family went on the required American Judeo-Christian Hajj(Disneyworld) as soon as school let out and Amelia began to display withdrawal symptoms almost immediately, prompting the coining of the phrase 'friend-bilical cord'. It seemed strange in that they spend relatively little time together during the school year and we had yet to make any real concrete plans beyond their hanging together at Korte rec center's playground/summer camp. Nevertheless, my kid started to get a little wiggy before their family touched down in Orlando and was out-of-sorts for the entire week they were gone. The cord was definitely stretched and the munchkin didn't like it. Not one bit.
When my child's other half returned and they were attending Korte's summer camp together, we settled into the routine of me picking up, and keeping for the day, both girls every other day with Lydia's mom playing the alternate. It started out as a day-by-day then week-by-week thing and ended up going all summer long. To say that the kid flourished wouldn't be generous enough. It was really the first time that she was mature and independent enough for this to go on and on and on like it did. They couldn't get enough of each other.
It is simply fantastic to me to see the two young girls trust and care for each other with no expectations or agenda. I don't know of any adult relationship that is as simple and pure. I will forever remember watching them sitting on the hammock, with their arms around each other, for what seemed an eternity, just talking. I have no idea what they had to say but I could tell from their relaxed expressions that it was no one's business but their own. It was one of those rare times in my life that I experienced a genuine blessing just by witnessing the blessing of others.
We went the entire summer like that. Our house, their house, day in, day out. Amelia attended a summer enrichment camp at Triad High School for a week and they both went to a Science Summer camp, put on by the St. Louis Science center, but their days with just the two of them are going to have the most profound and prolonged effect. It was this time together that spawned the second patented phrase: conjoined friends.
I am pleased(since it is, ultimately, all about me) that my child has and is such a good friend. I am as equally pleased that it is Lydia.
stayathomebryan is glad that school is back in session but, only just so...
