“Beautiful hours move so quickly.” - Irene Hunt

 

I say it every. single. Summer:  "I'm going to have tons of long and lazy days with the kids." But somehow, life gets in the way.  We sign up for swimming lessons and the only session that works is a two week intensive.  We try to jam all our appointments into the Summertime for each of us.  We overschedule with family.  We make commitments in June that we shouldn't have and by the time August rolls around there's no turning back.  We get a puppy and nobody reminded me how demanding one adorable, furry friend could be.  "Yes, the puppy needs to go out AGAIN because he is learning to potty train." 

and in an instant, it's July and now, August.  The back to school catalogs have been rolling for weeks.  We're just waiting for teacher assignments now and A LOCKER COMBINATION.  That locker combination symbolizes so much in my Mother brain.  The end of an elementary school era.  The beginning of "those really challenging years".  My daughter, still only 10, starting to feel more stress and anxiety then I would care for my 10 or 11 or 12 year old girl to feel.  Don't even get me started on how middle school girls treat one another. 

I watch my girls play so innocently in the warm Summer air with one another, with their puppy.  I watch them ride their bikes...Sydney, so confidently now on two wheels and Riley, a master.  I wish these beautiful, crazy, busy and overscheduled Summer days would never end. 

Next year will be different, like every year we are greeted with both highs and lows.  New friends, accomplishments, fears.  I've said it a million times, I still soak it all in.  Yes, I have my days when I want to scream (I'm told we all do), I have my days when I feel like a complete failure of a Mother.  But, when it really comes down to it, I think our family is pretty fantastic.  I think my husband and I are doing a pretty decent job in raising our two girls and assisting them in navigating this crazy world. 

I know these days won't last.  So for now, I will enjoy the sweet moments and even the busy, crazy moments.  I'll remind myself once again, that time is fleeting.  As always, I am so lucky that I got to be my girls' Mom! 

Linking up today over at Friendship Friday!