It's been a quick summer. Erin came home, went right to work and now is one week away from finishing her summer internship at Mayo Clinic as a nursing assistant. It's been a great first job in the healthcare realm. But, she's ready to be done. 11 weeks of full time work have been great for the bank account, but it hasn't left her much downtime.
We did get to take a break from our jobs to attend a family wedding in Lake Tahoe. Nephew Charlie got married at 8,000 feet. I loved everything about the weekend, except the chair ride up to the wedding. I have a teeny tiny fear of heights and I'm also not much of a thrill seeker, so that just about did me in. I enjoyed the gondola ride down much better! But, no complaints about the rest of the weekend.
None of us had been to this part of the country. What a venue. We are used to lakes here in MN, but a lake surrounded by mountains is an amazing aesthetic. We enjoyed a day on a boat touring the lake, a pig roast and luau at the beach, and of course, the wedding ceremony which was so perfectly suited to Charlie and the newest family member, Ashley. Dan and all 8 his siblings were there along with 17 of the 18 O'Hara cousins. Erin was so happy to be with all the cousins and when she's happy, well, I'm happy.
So, one family vacation is behind us, and one more is ahead. We'll get a few days at Lake Hubert after Labor Day once Erin's summer job is done. All of her friends will be back at school, and she'll be willing to spend some time with us before we take her back to school mid-September.
The reality that Erin is moving back to Philadelphia soon is setting in. The reality that she won't be living at home again, maybe ever, is something I don't like to think about. I know it's the goal - raise your kids to fly. But, it's come to this so quickly, I feel. Erin and I talked about it the other day - it seems like she was just a kid and now she's going to be going to school, paying rent, and looking for a part time job to support her lifestyle with plans to live on her own from here on out. Some serious adulting is ahead.
But, Erin is excited to get back to school, back with her friends and back to learning more about her chosen field. Anatomy and Microbiology are on the docket this fall, along with stats and a careers in health sciences class. She will take more classes specific to her major this year, which is exciting.
But, she's got a few weeks of summer left, so we won't wish that away.
Speaking of school... I start my grad school courses tomorrow. Holy shit, what was I thinking? I haven't been a student since May 1991 when I graduated from St. Thomas. But, here I am, 28 years later, ready to give it go. I've got two classes to take this semester to get things started. It's all online, at my own pace, with assignments due each week. If all goes according to plan, I'll have a master's degree in strategic communication by the end of 2021.
I'm excited, and, a little nervous. Let's hope you can teach an old dog new tricks...
