Now That Summer Is All But Over . . .

I feel like this picture represents me facing Back-to-School. Eyes closed, nose plugged, just waiting for it to engulf us.

This Summer has been a study in contrasts. We’ve been very busy with camps and reunions. There have also been slow weeks where the atrocious B word (that’s BORED, if you didn’t know) has escaped out of a few mouths.

The beginning of Summer was glorious, cool and green. Our yard looked like a million bucks. Now the grass in back is brown and crunchy and we are shouting for joy because we finally had some rain today.

We have laughed and experienced true joy with family and friends. We have made glorious memories. We have also learned sad things that have made us weep and worry, pray and prepare. It is hard for me to imagine feeling such feelings at each end of the spectrum almost simultaneously.

Our kids are about to enter a year of first and lasts. We have a first time driver in Hannah. We have a first time bus rider in Owlie. Chris is in his last year of high school. I have to watch myself or I could view this whole year with Chris as just a long list of lasts.

In July at the Hubby’s family reunion, Owlie was in water wings, plugging his nose each time he entered the pool. Now, a mere month later, he is swimming in the pool like a fish with goggles, in the deep end, no nose pluggged. It finally clicked for him and I am so happy he figured it out.

I know going back to school will me much the same for me. I’ll figure it out. It will click for all of us. We will find our rhythm and swim like we’ve always known how to handle the water.