It's summer at my house!

It’s summer! 

Not officially if you go by the dates on the calendar, but the moment you step a foot in my home you will understand what I mean.  School is out and all the children are home.  ALL of them.  And if by a chance you didn’t see them as you walked in the door, you would realize this home is occupied as you trip over objects in the hallway and hear the sounds of many voices.

If I’m being honest there were moments in early May and even as far back as April that made me start to panic about today.  About summer.  

How to occupy the time?

To endure the heat?

To make the most of the time “off”?

 To keep the children from wanting to hurt eachother?

To keep me from wanting to take a vacation- without them?

I was dreading it back then.   Don’t get me wrong, I was excited about not packing lunches (and all the mothers around the world said “Amen”), no more trips to the school, signing papers, checking grades online.  No more spelling words and flashcards- unless you are the overachieving type that keeps those going in the summer. No more intense conversations with school fried brains about focusing, or finishing work, or doing our best just because.  Those are done for the next 12 weeks and I am truly grateful.

I was dreading the “filling” the time.  

That is until God confronted my attitude.  A gentle whack upside my head reminded me- IT’S SUMMER!!!

My chance to make memories, teach a skill, develop character, have fun and love all over my kiddos.  It won’t happen for me the same way you do it.  You’re kids are different than mine.  You have different resources and opportunities.  

But your choice is the same as mine today.  Choose to be grateful and thankful for another summer.  Or to start the countdown til school starts again.

So “let it go” and have some fun.  Pull off the couch cushions and make a fort.  Get out the glue gun and dusty craft supplies and have some fun.  Shoot the darts with reckless abandon –ladies, let’s show them how it’s done.  If you want to get all crazy, pull out your tent and enjoy the backyard.  Eat breakfast for dinner, and dinner for breakfast.  Turn off the phone, shut down Instagram, say no to Twitter.  Be in the moment.  Create a moment.

IT’S SUMMER at my house and I couldn’t be more excited (except for the half of me that is still freaking out.) But I’m choosing to thrive and not just survive this summer.  I know our days won’t always look pretty and more times than I’d like, I’ll start counting the days.  But that’s alright because I keep coming back to this fantastic reality.  It’s summertime now.  It’s time to go play!