summer is really-and-truly gone.

Summer really is over. I've accepted it. We got home from the beach last week, and the air was cold and the sun was warm, it smelled like bonfires, and the sky was October-blue. I grinned my head off and sighed and said "okay. this is autumn. I relinquish my bad attitude."

I was going to do a massive summer-photo-recap post to give me closure, but then I realized I had this backlog of random photos that I'd never posted.

Ashland with Bethany and future-sister-in-law Rebekah

This summer was wild. It was. I don't think I've gone that many places in that little time, ever. Bethany and I became elite car packers.

I checked off seven things on my bucket list and did a bunch of things I didn't know I wanted to do, but I totally did.

California ocean 

It was the summer of decaf frappuccinos and superheroes and cranberry juice and getting sunburnt on the beach. I graduated, I turned 18, I bought a Mac that has truly changed my life.

I laughed more than I ever laughed in my life. I danced not near often enough, but when I danced, I danced like there was no tomorrow.

Even though there was a tomorrow. A bruised and sore and exhausted tomorrow. But a looking-back-and-remembering-every-moment and knowing that it was oh-so-worth it tomorrow.

I wore a Polish navy-blue polka dot dress. I got my first "I love you" from one of the cutest little girls in the world.  A friend became a bosom-friend-forever friend.

It was the summer of hot, noisy, theme-song-filled car trips. Going places that I've always wanted to go, even though they aren't that far away or especially magical.

my niece Katie finger (and/or foot) painting.

It was a summer rampant with drama--the good, the bad, and the ugly. And the very, very beautiful.

It was the summer of staying up past four-in-the-morning repeatedly. Ditching things like emotional, mental, and bodily health in favor of living in the moment, in the moment that will never, ever happen again.

It was the summer of throttling the moment.

It was a summer of holding onto "last one forevers". The last car trip home from the beach with Benjamin before he gets married, laden with juice bags and sweet cereal and meaningful conversations about the future.

It was the summer of hope ("esperanza") and red bracelets and anchors and falling completely in love with Lucky Charms and Pinterest.

It was the summer of screaming my lungs out on fair rides and in a splendid theater during Les Mis.

I got hoarse countless times--from yelling my opinions and laughing hysterically and simply talking, talking, talking.

horrifying, giant banana men.

It was the summer of crying about things that mattered and things that didn't.....getting serious about things that matter and getting less serious about things that don't.

the field of flags, honoring every Oregonian soldier who has died in the war on terror.

including a 19-year-old, recently married boy from our hometown. 

It was a summer of blue manicures and being surrounded by honest-to-goodness-amazing friends who I'll love forever no matter what.

It was the summer of wonderful people who listen when I tell them things, and understand and advise and are on my side.

It was the summer of beach-tripping, over and over and over, until the beach is so much more part of my soul than it even was before.

It was the summer of holding on and letting go and the best. hugs. ever.

I slept the least I have in my life, and I laughed the most I have in my life. It was the best summer of all time, for so many reasons.

I'm sure you were much more mature and let go of your summer long before I did. But tell me about it.

What was your summer?