Remembering Summers Past

The school year is coming to an end for alot of those around me. High school graduations are taking place and elementary school kids are counting down the days till summer officially starts for them. For some kids in the area this wont happen for a couple of more weeks because of all the snow and ice we had earlier this year. For some parents its a time of sadness because they are seeing their babies grow up, for others its a time of happiness for the same reason.

This time last year I was feeling the same mix of emotions as the Guitar Man was graduating high school.

A young mother from my church made the comment this morning that she was excited that today was her oldest sons last day of kindergarten and she couldn't wait to officially get the summer started but this afternoon she was singing another tune as she realized her little man was now a 1st grader.

When my boys were young out of school for summer break was some of the best times for me. I love being a mom and for me when they started school it was like a piece of me was missing and I couldn't wait till they got home. When school was out is when summer officially began for me. Sleeping late, watching TV, eating when we got hungry instead of on a schedule, staying up late just because we could, trips to the pool, playing in the sprinkler, chasing down the ice cream truck as it went through the neighborhood.

One of my favorite memories took place probably 6 years ago. The kids were maybe in middle school and Jr. high. It was late in the summer and in the south that means 110 degrees with a heat index of 120, humidity so high you cant even breath if you go outside, and not a rain cloud in site. But on this one day it was raining so we stayed in the house all day. I don't think any of us even got dressed that day. We found something on TV to watch, there was a TAPS marathon on so we huddled under blankets and watched the TAPS team look for ghosts all day. No fighting or arguing, and if you have kids 17 months apart you know how rare that is, just enjoying the day. That seems like such a long time ago, my baby faced little boys curled up on the couch with me enjoying a summer day...

Not alot has changed since then. The boys have continued to grow up, but I still look forward to summers with them, and we are still enjoying the same things. Sleeping in, late nights, swimming, and snow cones. OK so they don't have much time for mom any more but I'll take what I can get for as long as I can get it and I'll enjoy every second of it knowing it wont last forever because they are growing up and eventually(a long long....LONG time from now) will have families of their own. I only hope that when they do have families of their own they remember their childhood summers and try to have as much fun with their kids as they did when they were little.

But for now I'm going to enjoy them while I have them and cram as much summer fun in as I passably can.