summer flew by.
one of the downsides of having my kids enrolled in school is being subject to the school's calendar. breaks and vacations have a hard start and end date, ready or not. i miss the flexibility of full time homeschooling. i miss my kids when they're at school. we've had such a wonderful summer. i'm not ready for it to end.
but instead of being sad about it or dreading that school is starting in 2 weeks, i'm trying to shift my perspective and focus on the start of a new season rather than the end of a great one. it's like rewriting a headline for a news article to subtly manipulate the reader's opinion*. except i'm the headline writer and the reader :) SEASONS CHANGE: FALL IS GOING TO BE AWESOME
it's true. i'm just powering through the transition, counting our blessings, and thanking God for every moment.
we've had an amazing summer. my heart (and my photo album on my phone) are full of memories, including...
Boston trip // Josh broke his finger // Avengers End Game // Dallas Holocaust Museum // Gabi's 2nd birthday // s'mores with friends on the farm // Josh graduated from 6GLT at Church Eleven32 // Haile had a hundred sleepovers (feels like it) // Ninja Nation // house full of friends and family often // Group Dynamix // nighttime swimming // too much Bahama Bucks // road trip with friends to the beach // College Station // Brenham // Matagorda // New Braunfels // Gruene // Waco // tubing & kayaking // Aladdin // sunset catching // ice cream truck made frequent stops at our house // FCC cheer camp // Spider-Man // petting puppies at PetLand // Legos // charcuterie dinners // dog walks // volunteering at VBX // discovering new brunch spots, new dessert shops, new thrift stores // Haile got her braces off // pool time all the time // Disney World // Universal Studios // 4th of July neighborhood party // fireworks with friends // Josh turned 11 // Toy Story 4 // Josh broke his arm // Harry Potter party // Haile went to art camp // lots of father/son mother/daughter father/daughter mother/son dates // Stranger Things // homemade pizzas // Lion King // and many more...
when school starts in two weeks we'll have earlier bedtimes and earlier wake times, more reading, writing, and deadlines, and less lounging by the pool.
but the next season is going to be great, too. Josh starts 7th grade and Haile will be a sophomore. i love new school supplies. i'm excited for their new classes and teachers and schedules. i'll be packing their lunch boxes again, writing little notes to make them smile. and i love the way my kids look in their uniforms :) soon it'll be football season and Friday night lights. the days will get shorter, the sunsets bolder, the leaves will show their colors, and it'll start to get cooler. State Fair of Texas is just around the corner, and before we know it we'll be carving pumpkins and picking out Halloween costumes.
seasons change, and each one is amazing in it's own wonderful way - truly a gift from God. and we are making the most of it!
"Yes, we should make the most of what God gives,
both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it,
accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift!
God deals out joy in the present, the now."
Ecclesiastes 5:20 msg
*postscript: headlines are indeed slanted. in a perfect world, michael scott would write all the headlines with as much clarity and transparency as this one. okay?!
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