There's the external: this winter was the least snowy in Alaska on record, while this summer we'll have "above normal temperatures" statewide; though that also seems to be the trend...
But mostly, there's the personal: at the risk of embarrassing him, Malcolm now has his first girlfriend. And a rather bright and lovely one, at that. He's also been on two Outside school trips this year, the one to Nebraska, and his previous tour of Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. Calvin is sure to get his orange belt in karate any day now, and his violin teacher is convinced that he's got a genuine gift for the instrument. And Chloe, who's now finished with elementary school and will be joining her older brother at middle school in the fall... Well, maybe it's just because girls tend to mature earlier than boys, or maybe it's because Brandon can't help but look at her and see her aging a bit every day. The truth is, they've all hit that stride now. They're in a new chapter of their lives, perhaps spurred on by Malcolm's exploration of what it means to be a teenager, that has edged them all one step closer to discovering the world for themselves, and one step farther away from their parents. They spend their summer days home alone without batting an eye, perfectly content to let the two of us head off to work while they enjoy themselves in peace. Their blunt responses to our concerned texts and calls about their well-being only serve as a reminder of how comfortable they are on their own now. And that's a good thing, certainly. But knowing that they're alright doesn't make the sting of watching them slowly walk away from you go away, not by a long shot.
Otherwise, it's been our same old hijinks these days — hiking, camping, going to movies, playing in the yard, the works. In the end, there's nothing we can do to keep them from growing up. To quote a certain drummer and lyricist, changes aren't permanent, but change is. All we can do is make sure we enjoy the time we have with them, and never take anything for granted.
