Officially Summer!!

My girl finished school last week. My oldest finished today (but, we opted not to go watch movies at school). So, summer is here!! On our first official day with all 3 kiddos home with mommy, we went to church to work on vbs, organized our art closet, hit the grocery for snacks, watched a movie, did some chores, and took Miss S to her swimming lesson. Overall, it was a good day. C and S did partake in a little sibling squabbling here and there. They are going to have to have a re-do course in the "interrupt rule" when I am on the phone. We are definitely going to have to come up with some Charlie rules (poor kid, they were all over him today giving kisses and "helping" him play). And, chores are going to have to be re-organized for summer hours. But, overall, they did great during their first day of summer freedom. And, I did too. I truly tried to enjoy the day and not drown in household stuff....my sweet babies are all home with me all summer! I am honestly overwhelmed. Yet, I am utterly overjoyed. I have around 8 weeks to invest and enjoy, to teach and to learn, and to breathe in all that life has to offer.... pool chlorine, sweaty little feet, playdoh, ice cream, playground dirt, bugspray, lemonade, sunscreen....I want to breathe it all in.

I have been on an emotional roller coaster lately by mournfully gazing into the past. Weaning Charlie is a hard process for this mama. I am excited about him growing and developing - so thankful for his progress and personality that is showing up daily. Yet, he is my baby. My last baby. And, this mama's heart is a little sad about the lasts - no more pacifiers, no more sleeping infants, no more rice cereal from rubber tipped spoons, no more infant carriers. Life just happens too fast...days, well, sometimes days take forever to end. But, life...no, it flies by. I was a mom of one just yesterday. And, now that one is almost 7. And, there are two more joys right behind him...growing and changing daily. I do not want to live my days looking over my shoulder at the "lasts"...I want to live in my "nows". It is the ordinary, ho hum, glorious, middle of the week, can sit down to share a book or color a page in the middle of the morning kind of days that I will forever cherish when my children are out of my house. I took a mental picture today of my daughter's face as I braided her hair for the first time. I smelled my son a few moments longer as I snuggled him before putting him in his crib. I lingered a little longer tonight at bedtime to listen as my oldest said his prayers and talked about his book he was reading. Yep, today was a good day. A Tuesday - the first day of a lot of good summer days....just breathing it all in...

I found this video tonight. Let's just say I need a new tissue box...
(you will have to turn the music box off at the bottom of my blog to hear the video)