I have to start our weekend recap way back on Thursday night and brag on Neel just a little bit. He was inducted into a medical honor society (despite not being a physician) along with several other colleagues and some members of the graduating class where he teaches. He was chosen by the students as a sign of their respect for him, and we're so proud of him. We all went to the dinner and it was so lovely to have all these young men and women come up to us and sing Neel's praises (although now we have to live with him!), and really, really good for Callum to see all of these super-smart, super high achieving medical students about to embark to places far and wide for exciting residencies.

Neel spent all day Saturday at graduation and apparently that was less fun.

Got my absolutely necessary weekly hike in with my friend Tracy on Friday. She means the world to me and these hikes do too. She'll be in California for the summer, and I'm not sure what I'll do without her. Drag Cal out there maybe. It just won't be the same! As I was driving home, I felt strangely energized, so I swung into the grocery store and grabbed the stuff to make us scallops for dinner. Scallops are one of my favorites, and they intimidate the hell out of me (I know, I know). But you know? I did okay. I'd definitely do these again, and they'll get better with tweaking. While Neel was at graduation, Cal went hitting and I went grocery magazine shopping. Home runs this month, for both.

We found some strawberries in the front yard and I'm drinking Pimms (for research) and a friend of Callum's came over for some mad wicked games of Spoons. It was a pretty lovely Saturday night.

We worked and played on Sunday. Homework winding up, computer work and yard work ramping up. Callum had to look up 161 vocabulary words for his science class, and that felt like a lot so we let him do them in front of a baseball game and The Bad News Bears.

And things seem to be changing for our Violet. We knew it was inevitable, so we're watching this happen with both sadness and acceptance, I guess. It's nothing major, just some behavioral and physical shifts. Neel's going to chat with our vet to see if there's anything we can do for her, especially since he has to go out of town this week. We want to be sure she stays comfortable more than anything, and I keep telling her to let me know. Right now her tail is still wagging and her eyes are still bright, and that's all we're going to focus on.

So hold our little girl in the light, and hold my boy in the light too. Cross your fingers that as you're reading this his braces are coming OFF!

1. I think I can't believe I finally get to tell you guys that we're taking a little big trip this summer. Wheeeeeee! We've been talking about this trip for a long time, months now since we discovered that Neel had a Eurpoean conference in June, but pulling the trigger was a bit stressful. Air travel ≠ cheap, you know. Still now that we have, I'm giddy with excitement, and we're counting down the days. Neel's meeting is in Greece and Cal and I are flying to London to meet him, and then we'll all fly home together. What a way to kick off the summer. I can't wait.

2. I think we're incredibly lucky that Neel's field takes him to Europe to conferences so regularly (A colleague of his has her big annual meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan this year. Not that there's anything wrong with that.). He leaves for Sweden next week, and that trip, Cal and I are sadly not accompanying him on. (insert huge sigh here) It's been a long time since we've traveled abroad. Our last trip was to Hungary, I think, in 2009. It feels like a lifetime ago. We really feel so blessed, despite how long it's been. We've been to Montreal, Germany, and Greece as well as Hungary and so many places here in our own vast country. But this trip? Well, this feels special. Because we're not tagging along to Greece but meeting Neel over there, these are places we chose. Can you imagine how hard it was to pin them down?

3. I think our plans are to spend three days in London and three days in Paris, although Neel and Callum seem to have concocted a plan to swing by Normandy on while we're en route to Paris. They schemed this at my Mother's Day brunch, wouldn't you know. And had me Google this. ON MOTHER'S DAY. Apparently there will be much watching of World War II movies before we depart.

4. I think one of the best things is that the last time I was in London was when I was almost exactly Callum's age. That was a long time ago. And still. I'll totally be subjecting him to stories that begin like this: "When I was 14, and we came to London..." We will also be listening to this song and probably this song on repeat. I won't subject him to this song, which was everywhere when I first stepped foot on British soil. ;)

5. I think I have a million questions for you guys! I can't for the life of me remember what to do with my phone once we've gone international. I'm gonna need to be instagramming, donchaknow. Where should we stay in London? In Paris? I know a bit about London, but next to nothing about Paris except that it seems nice enough. Wink. What should I pack? Any suggestions for cute walking shoes for summer? What should I read to get ready? What are our must sees, eats, dos? What treats should we get to bring home? Callum's social studies teacher is a total dear and she's begged to come with us written an itinerary for us; you just know Erin is guiding our path (thank God); and I'm totally counting on this lovely lady to point our way as well.

Somebody pinch us.

weekend recap, may 20

Five things, the "this is really happening" edition