Speaking of Easy

I’ve made it to the last Friday Favorite in July. Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals once again! That makes me a little sad because it means that Summer is almost over (a few more weeks), but it also is exciting because this was my birthday week! I had a great day yesterday and a relaxing week. Now that I’ve started this blog, I realize I need to take more photos as I move through my week to capture things. I’m not always good at that, but I am trying to get better!

Transplant Camp

On Monday, we dropped our daughter off for her annual Transplant Camp, a magical week organized by her hospital and hosted at the beautiful St. Dorothy’s Rest in Northern California. Even though she received her transplant as a baby, she didn’t attend camp until just last year—at age 15.

When she was younger, overnight stays without us were a non-starter. The only place she would stay was with my sister. Even sleepovers with close friends were too overwhelming, and more than once we found ourselves picking her up just as others were settling in for bed. So, despite hearing wonderful things about Transplant Camp from one of my students who worked there every summer, it simply wasn’t an option for many years.

That began to shift in middle school. Sleepovers became more manageable, and every year we’d revisit the idea of camp. Each time, she’d consider it—and each time, she’d ultimately decide she wasn’t quite ready.

Then, last year, something changed. She told us she wanted to go.

Just in case she had a hard time making it through the week, we planned a trip to the area mid-week and stayed nearby until pickup on Saturday. But we needn’t have worried. She loved it. She made new friends, shared experiences with other kids who take meds, get caths, and navigate life after a transplant. It was life-changing.

This year, there was no hesitation—she was all in. She was still a little nervous, but mostly excited. This time, she wanted to take the bus from Palo Alto with other campers, so we made the drive down and saw her off. She even had a buddy from last year on the bus, which made the experience even more fun.

In a lovely full-circle moment, I found out that the student who once told me about Transplant Camp now has a little sister working there. Here we are before she got on the bus:

Last year, we drove her straight to camp. She was anxious, and so was I—but I could tell she was also eager to meet other teens who understood her world. I was reassured knowing the camp is staffed by nurses and counselors who specialize in caring for transplant patients. Here’s a photo of us at her cabin on that first day last year.

We’ll pick her up from camp on Saturday morning, and I can’t wait to hear all the stories from this year. I’m sure she’ll have plenty to share!

Another year around the sun

We kicked off the day with a little act of kindness: picking up and delivering meals to a friend who’s been going through a tough time with his health and finances. It felt so good to know he now has a fridge and freezer full of food to last him a couple of weeks.

Honestly, helping others is one of the best gifts we can give and receive. Kindness really does go both ways—and it made the day feel even more meaningful.

We then took a drive through our local park and we spotted some deer and had a first sighting of the year of this family:

Quail! There were many more, but they quickly dispersed into the nearby bushes when we slowed to take a photo.

Later in the day, my sister and her husband came up and treated me to lunch—which was such a sweet surprise. I had a BLT that was absolutely delicious. Crispy, salty, fresh… everything a BLT should be.

After a little rest at home, we got ready for a fun night out with friends. First stop: our downtown Thursday Night Market and a local pop-up bar with live music on the patio. It was still pretty warm out, so we skipped the music and opted for a comfy couch inside to sip drinks and catch up. I had my favorite—a lemon drop—and it totally hit the spot.

From there, we headed to one of our favorite downtown restaurants for dinner. I had an open-faced meatball parm sandwich that was ah-mazing. Rich, cheesy, saucy perfection. I also tried one of their specialty cocktails—something they offer with or without alcohol. Since it was my birthday, I went with vodka, and it was so good!

I wish I had snapped a picture of the menu so I could remember exactly what was in it, but here’s what I do recall: it had strawberry, a splash of bitters, and two thin cucumber slices (which I promptly ate before I took the photo). According to the server, it also works with gin—but no thank you. It was light, refreshing, and something I’d definitely order again—alcohol or not.

So this is 57. Feeling full, happy, grateful, and well-celebrated. Cheers! 🥂

I hope you all are enjoying your last week of July and are ready for the transitions that August brings! Shorter days, school shopping, and last-chance Summer celebrations!