Errands, Earthquakes, and (Conflicting) Emotions

Yesterday when the earth began to shake here in Virginia we were licking frozen custard. 

It had already been a day with last-minute school errands and a trip to the spray park with friends in our swimsuits, and we were headed to Target to get a new backpack for our nearly-second grade J.  In an attempt to give them just a little more endurance and to celebrate our end of summer togetherness we stopped en route.  I snapped a photo to try to preserve a little summer in picture form, and then I noticed the fish aquarium water sloshing and we started to feel and hear the rumble.  When the restaurant furniture started clattering we hurried outside.  The shaking wasn't too dramatic from my adult perspective (feeling more like I was on a subway platform than anything) but it left an impression on these first-time 'quake goers.  I don't think they'll forget it too soon.

I love that A has a furrowed brow in the photo.  She seems to be feeling the same end-of-summer anxiety with which I'm dealing.  J went to school today.  Oh, I love summer, especially as a young mother with my kids!  And yet I love each back-to-school season, too.  We're just an hour into it and I haven't quite found my stride yet, but I think it's comin' . . . .