It's coming.
You can hear it in the street, the voices of kids who know they only have a few more weeks of school.
The gentle humming of hard working insects.
The thunder.
Summer is coming.
Summer is always bitter sweet for me.
Firstly, it is not my favorite season weather-wise. I know, I'm in the vast minority. I hate being hot and sweating. Abhor would be a more appropriate term. I hate the allergies and the bug bites and how every meal seems to be comprised of a hot dog on the grill because I can't cook because I'm SWELTERING. It is always an off-time, work-wise. Which is nice for the break, but financially very difficult. And, when I'm off, I always fabricate these elaborate plans of what I will accomplish with all of this time off.......
But, this summer is a bit different. Though I'm a tad fearful of losing my income, there is something pressing yet UNRUSHED about the prospect of this summer. My daughter is three and she will be attending preschool in the fall. My baby. Will go to school. With a backpack and a lunchbox and tales of the playground where I will not be there to make sure she doesn't fall off the monkey bars. These precious 8 weeks is a sacred Mama-Ellie time, never to be repeated. This is the last time my voice will be the only one giving her direction during the day. I want to make every day this summer joyful, meaningful, restful and thankful. Just plain full. So, my plans for the summer look much different than ever before. This is my list:
Breathe thankfulness upon every waking and make it a practice to do it with Ellie
Show your thankfulness for the blessings of our space by organizing, de-cluttering, painting, re-arranging what we have to make it more peaceful and more usable without adding ANY excess "Stuff".
Tend to the garden with care with El, be thankful for the pulling of weeds and yielding of crops that nourish us.
Build a compost bin and rain barrel- teach El that we are called to care for the earth, and that girls can build things too:)
Take weekly visits to local gardens, the library, a grandparents house for sprinkler runs.
Bake bread in the morning, to remember what a gift it is to have the means to do so.
READ- things that nourish, feed and help ALL of us grow.
NEVER say "hurry up". Not once.
Be creative! Mama loves to write and sing, Ellie loves to sing and paint. All are free and fun! We can create together, separately and together. We were made to do it.
Swim at every opportunity given or offered. Bring her bike to the park. Dance in the living room. Teach her that our bodies are miraculous gifts that demand celebration!
Start and end the day remembering, reminding, dreaming. Remembering the joys of yesterday and today. Reminding each other of the truths of the word. Dreaming of what tomorrow, this year, this lifetime might bring.
I am looking forward to this last little summer season of our lives right now and am so looking forward to what dreams are on their way!
What are you doing this summer?