Reach 4 The Sky

Hannah boarding the bus to Camp Reach 4 The Sky

This morning I dropped Hannah off at her usual spot this time of year, to get on a bus and go to the local mountains for a week of sibling camp at Camp Reach 4 The Sky - staffed and attended exclusively by kids & young adults affected by their siblings' cancer. Hannah just adores this week away. And while we will miss her (usually around Thursday... don't tell her!), it is once again a bittersweet moment...

Max at Camp Reach 4 The Sky (day camp) in July 2008

This father's day was pretty busy. We were getting ready for Hannah's week away and Melissa was volunteering at our church's Kids Games that we attend every year. This year its only Nic attending, and he wasn't too excited about it either, but after day 1 (today) he's totally into it.

All this summer stuff brings back many memories of Max which is both great and tough to deal with. Lately, I think we've all be having a rough time of things, even if we don't recognize or admit to it. Nic especially, exhibits behaviors that really show how much he misses his big brother. He just latches on to older boys like nothing else. And it just tears your heart out to understand what's going on and see his "thirst" for that older boy relationship be quenched, albeit only temporarily.

We are making plans to celebrate Max's 9th birthday this June 30. May and June are rapidly becoming months I'd rather skip over, much like November and December are already. There are just so many opportunities to miss Max due to all the birthdays (Melissa, me, Max, then Hannah in mid-July), mother's day, father's day, end of school, etc. We are trying to turn Max's birthday into something of a tradition that we can replicate. Even though food was not big on Max's list of "likes" (he did have the g-tube for over a year), one special food that he liked to enjoy at times was crab. And so we will have crab for dinner every June 30. You can too if you'd like. And get claws... to play with.