Summer Lovin'

As I’m starting to write, I can already tell this post will be randomness at its best. Maybe it’s the relaxed and somewhat wistful summer perspective that I’m embracing. And we are in full summer mode around here. Or maybe it’s the cough medicine that I’m still on. Who knows?!

I don’t know about the rest of the nation but summer has definitely arrived here! For the past week the temperatures have been in the high 90s and even pushed into the 100s. Now factor in the humidity. Hotlanta! 

So, after surviving “the plague” last week, this week we’re trying to survive the heat. Here’s a photo of the kids after swim lessons...of course, the photo can't begin to capture the sweltering sun in all its glory. All I can say is, we might not be staying cool but at least we’re looking cool.  

I love the summer, always have, but love it even more as a stay-at-home Mom. Busy schedules are replaced with lazy afternoons spent snuggling with the kids. I notice that I’m not as frustrated and short-tempered with the kids. We sleep in and we stay up late, my ideal schedule. We have time for naps. We have time to play. We have time to read stories. In fact, we recently headed to the bookstore and loaded up on summer reading options. Sienna and I started reading “Little House in the Big Woods” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s a history lesson and a lesson on good ol’ fashion morals wrapped into one book. Even Grant will sit down and listen, especially the parts about hunting. Anyway, I’m keeping us busy without keeping us busy, the perfect summer paradox.

I can’t help but to reflect on where we were, where I was, this time last summer.  We were making some serious and tough life choices for our family. And preparing for a major change in our life, that is, deciding to stay in the Army and preparing to move once again from our home in California. I was working full-time and hating every minute of being away from the kids and all the stress it was putting on our family. Even though it was close to the perfect job, it wasn’t worth the cost to me. It was a long road but a journey I had to take and now I’m the better for it. I’m thankful for a renewed perspective and feeling of purpose about being a stay-at-home Mom.

Lastly, we are in the final days of our time in Georgia and starting to say goodbye to the special friends we met.  Here’s my ranking of the “top three” hardest parts about the Army:

1.    When Daddy is far away.

2.    Moving, moving, moving.

3.    Saying goodbye to new or old friends.

And these goodbyes will be particularly bittersweet (but aren't they all?). Boooo.....

For now, I’m allowing myself a few more relaxed days, then I’ll be back to the crazy person God intended me to be and will be in full “purge, pack and organize” mode.  

Keep us in your prayers, please.