Summer Starts

We're starting to get into our summer groove. It takes about a week or so for everyone to figure out how to get along and what to do after nine months spent mostly apart during the day. I like some structure to the day mostly for my own comfort level, but also because I think too much down time leads to boredom and (for DS13) video games.

Not that I think boredom is bad. I think all kids (and even adults) need the time to re-group and think about something different. You can only do that if you have nothing to do. When we are all going 100 mph in different directions, it's hard to re-energize. Sometimes you don't even know how tired you are until everything stops.

Still, we have enough going on in small chunks that the summer will go by too quickly. Today is such a beautiful day here, full of the promise and potential of summer. And yet, I feel a sadness that it will pass quickly as it always does. I remember when the kids were small and the summer days seemed endlessly long and nightfall never came. It was as if we could never get them into bed fast enough after a day of activities, boredom, naps, meals and more meals, arguments, constant supervision, and never feeling as if anything got done. Did I enjoy that time? I don't remember! I know I felt they were growing too fast, and yet not fast enough. I was so tired and it was so much work.

And now it's not so much work and one is poised to leave the house and another is not far behind. Life is not constant and things change, but for now I will enjoy the summer time and try not to think too far ahead. It's all good.