Monday, September 5, 2016

dear indi






Dear Indi,

Last night we took you to the airport for your six-week class trip to Greece. 

It had been a few intense months in the making and by the time we actually arrived at the airport it almost felt like a relief. But still I expected tears, I expected clinging hugs, I expected last minute nerves and I expected not to be able to look at Pepper's face. But instead you were so excited you could barely stand still long enough to pose for your group photo. We've got the sweetest little film of you yelling out 'let's dance' and the group photo quickly dissolving into a mini dance party for a moment or two. I've watched it 10 times already.

Your smile couldn't have been any bigger when you looked back at us one last time before disappearing through the departure doors and so we walked away with completely unexpected smiles plastered to our faces too.

What a wonderful start to your great adventure.

And what an unexpected happy start to our six weeks without you.

We spent our first moments as a family of four eating sushi at the airport for dinner and then we drove through the dark to Emma's in Woodend. She'd left a bottle of wine for us because she thought we'd need it after what we'd just been through. How sweet is that!

The little girls slept well but me and Dad lay awake for hours reading our books and chatting. I wondered if it was because we'd never had the big tearful release that I'd expected, or if it was because we'd had such a big intense before and the after would need some adjusting to, or if it was the sneaky chocolate we'd eaten in bed.

This morning we packed Jazzy up and waved her off on her Canberra camp. Then we drove off as a family of three. Until Friday we'll only have one girl at home. Crazy.

We had breakfast in Woodend, drove Pepper to school and then spent a few hours in the oldest apple orchard making big piles of the prunings. It's still so wet in there and my boots and socks were saturated . And as I worked I listened to my 'beautiful songs that make Kate happy' soundtrack and they did. And I thought of you flying through the air and how proud I am of you and what an incredible adventure you are going to have. 

I love that your school cares about rites of passage and the transition through adolescence. I love how perfectly timed this is for you. And I love you!

And I think that over the next six weeks of planting, pruning, packing up, renovating, planting and living I might just take this opportunity to get back into the blogging groove and keep you updated on what we're doing and thinking and planning. (Although you definitely won't read this until you get back and possibly won't ever).

So this is it, my stories from while you're away.  I can't wait to hear yours.

Better go and get Pepper from circus class.

Love your guts!

xoxox



PS the shawl details are on my ravelry page





17 comments:

  1. Such mixed feelings about your children growing up and becoming independent ... Good luck over the next six weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow your bigger girls are going to be so full of their adventures when they get back that Pepper will be looking forward to her time away and it will hold no fear for her. It's good to see you back I always check. Enjoy your your time as a smaller version of yourselves, the time will fly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow...it is just all so big isn't it Kate? Our eldest (almost 10) is heading off on her first real school camp on Wednesday. She is so positive and happy and excited I have decided to follow her example myself, as opposed to be anxious and worried! Actually I am just a tiny but anxious but I know all will be ok. Gorgeous photos of an independent young women xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, you did so well holding yourself so together at the farewell. It will feel like a long few weeks with her gone but imagine the stories she will arrive home with and how much more grown up she will seem. A beautiful thing to witness no doubt x

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a wonderful adventure!! You are such a lovely mum. I feel like crying for you! I went to boarding school when I was 12. We weren't allowed to call home for two weeks so transition wasn't too painful (ahem). After that we could only see parents two weekends a term. I think I'd be a very different person if I'd been written a letter like this after my first night away from home xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, what an adventure and how wonderful your daughter is so confident and excited about the expedition. I hope she has an amazing time. When teaching, I used to love taking children (9 to 11 year olds) away for adventure weeks but taking young people away for 6 weeks must be quite an experience. It must be so hard too for you as parents but such a precious gift to give her this opportunity to explore herself, the world and her place in it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why am I crying? Oh yeah, it is because I love the your blog and the people it is all about! Also my mum waved me off to Switzerland when I was 15, alone, to meet overseas work collegues and I went all on my own from Birmingham Uk to Lausanne on my own catching trains and listening out for announcements in German and French. Happy memories, she will have them too when she is 43.Jo x

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a lovely, lovely post. I am tearing up. I'm sending you a hug, to put in your pocket, just in case you need it later. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. This was lovely, thanks so much for sharing this letter to your loved one. I hope her trip was fantastic and you don't miss her too much. -Sierra

    ReplyDelete
  10. You've captured those feelings of parents' "letting go" so beautifully in this poignant post. Wishing all of you the best during the next 6 weeks until your gorgeous girl returns (most likely as a young woman and not a little girl anymore). She will make you even prouder.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So lovely! Change is an adventure whether we embrace it or not, may they all be good.x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fabulous.....though my throat is a little tight x

    ReplyDelete
  13. My girl is off on her big adventure at the moment. Its so hard to let them go but so good for them to do it. Had a little tear reading this :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. So excited for you. Our steiner school is going into high school years and the plan is that the yr 10s will be sent of on some type of worldly exchange or adventure. I cant wait to hear how it evoles for you as i wait my turn. Shuch a beautiful gift as it developmentally fits just what they need at that age and stage. So excited for you all xo

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Visit my other blog.