Monday, July 30, 2012

Sweet Sweet Summertime

"Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well.”
George R.R. Martin

'Tis why my little blog has been more than a little neglected of late. These days, this season is so fleeting. We sure have been enjoying summer and the moments with the little lovies.

By the time Summer rolls around In Texas you can sort of feel eager for fall. The warmth of the sun has already been with you for several months and thoughts of harvest festivals and apple picking come readily to mind. Pair this with the reality that the temperatures are akin to those you ordinarily preheat your oven to and well, deodorant is your new best friend.

Well, okay - it's toasty. But we're here and intend to make the best of it and put forth our best effort not to die. We did plan a long trip home to Minnesota and Illinois in the hopes we could escape some of the heat. Instead an unmatched heatwave covered the entire Midwest and we almost melted right out on the Illinois prairie. So the moral of the story is - extremes (temperatures and people) are just a part of life on this green earth. Try to avoid them and you might just wind up smack in the middle of them again. Instead one must learn to bloom where they are planted and stay hydrated so as not to wilt. Something like that.

Here I am out with some of my favorite Minnesota babes doing my best to stay hydrated on some adult beverages. Out at the fabulous Porter Creek for what turned out to be one of our best times together...and we've had a few! It occurs to me that I am wearing this shirt in just about every summer photo taken of me this year. Seriously people I need to go shopping...alone.

So much more to say and share yet summer's pull is a force to be reckoned with. So much to love about the lazy days. The fact that nobody's waiting for us. No need to rush. I love that little Ainsley love the other day asked what it meant to "Hurry." Now she's a bright little bird, she knows the meaning of "fast" and "quick" but I am ever grateful that "hurry" just isn't something that's a standard in her sweet world. We'd taken it so gently and easily for these four years. I can't say that it's always felt restful but indeed a current of peace runs through our home.

At first it felt like it took more effort to be at ease with my schedule than to jump into the bustle along with all of the other moms of littles. Even after just meeting someone the questions are peppered about my girls: "Are they in gymnastics?", "Have you tried the soccer league here?" "Are they in any sport?" And almost before I have a chance to answer they're telling me just what they think I should (or must do). "You have to get them in ballet." "They need to play an instrument." "Now's the time for them to learn a second language." It doesn't take long to realize you're a weirdo if you have any open space in your family calendar. It's just against the norm to be in a rush all of the time.

I'm just so grateful that I don't have to say (in exasperation) what I so often hear: "It's a crazy week," as if someone else besides us is filling in the days. We do get to decide whether or not we want our littles to know what "hurry" means or not. And I have decided to let them know what peace means, what quiet is, what rest feels like.

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." Psalm 29:11