So here we are, eight days before I'm required to return to work and I go over "The List" in my head. What have I accomplished? Nada.....not a darn thing! I have been asked numerous times throughout the summer, "How has your summer been?" to which my reply is always "Too fast". June was devoted to Erin's softball, July was swimming lessons and getting 4-H projects ready for fair, and now here we are in August getting ready for back to school. Not a single solitary vacation was taken, and for that I feel like I'm in the lead for "Worst Mom of the Year"! What parent does not whisk their young ones away to explore the world during summer vacation?! Two years ago we jetted off to California to see Disneyland, last year we made the standard Midwestern family pilgrimage to the Black Hills, and this year.....we made it 3 miles down the road to a new fishing hole. Whoo. Hooo. Yep, like I said "Worst Mom of the Year" right here.
I've been sitting here, for the past 2 months and 3 weeks wallowing in my self-pity of not getting the things done that I had planned on, when someone asked me once again how my summer was going...to which I gave the standard answer "Too fast." This person then turned to my 5-year old, Evan, and asked him how his summer was going. His answer: "It. Has. Been. Sooooo. Awesome." Excuse me? Who stole this child and whisked him off to places of Awesome-ness? This child has been right beside me all summer experiencing the same doldrums as me and he says it's awesome?!
Later that night I asked him exactly what about this summer has been so awesome, to which he rattled off a rather long list: we went to softball games and ate candy, we went fishing and caught so many huge fish, we petted our horses, we went to the zoo and saw those great big animals, we went to the Rodeo, we went to Grandpa and Grandma's house, we slept in a tent, we did sparklers and saw fireworks, we rode bikes, we went golfing, we went to the fair.... His list went on and on and I was amazed. All of those things that I saw as hectic and bothersome and downright boring were things that he treasured the most about his summer vacation. Evan: 1 point Mom: 0 points
This summer, I may not have traveled to far and away exotic places. I didn't get the living room floors sanded down and refinished, didn't get a couple rooms painted, but I've picked up a lesson or two about life. I've decided that from now on I need to look at things through the eyes of a five year old and be excited for everything that each day holds...look for the wonder and amazement in the little things, and be thankful for those little blessings. I need to live in the moment and not wonder what the next day is going to bring.
If you see me on the street between now and the day school starts up, go ahead and ask me how my summer has been. My reply will be, "It was so awesome! We spent time together as a family. We went to Erin's softball games, we found a great little farm pond and did a lot of fishing, we took the kids to the zoo, we spent time with my parents, the kids got to camp out in the backyard and we had a bonfire and made s'mores with them, Chad & the kids went golfing a few times, Evan learned to swim and ride his bike, Jason showed his horse at the fair and did a great job and Erin showed her goats and did well too. But most of all, my summer has taught me that happiness is all around me and that I don't need to go too far away to find it." Be prepared to sit and listen for awhile, because my summer was jam-packed full of great things. In the words of one very wise five year old; It. Has. Been. Soooo. Awesome!
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