Summer, Don't Go

This is the last Friday of summer.

I have a feeling that if you asked my three children they would tell you that they'd like summer to hang on for just a little bit longer.

Even though they've visited their classrooms, met their new teachers, adorned their desks with fresh bottles of glue, laid out their cool new backpacks and made ready for their funky Converse shoes complimenting those plaid uniforms....they really just want to get back on their bikes, wade in the  pool, have one or two more friend sleepovers, stay up late and drive each other crazy.

The truth is...we had a really great summer.

Opting not to take a family vacation so as to have our house painted and make some needed home improvements...afforded us time to take epic bike rides, do gazads of fairy house building ventures at the park, loads of swimming, popsicle consuming, art, Lego, princess/dragon camps, Vacation Bible School, overnight camping trips and day trip camping at Hummel.

Starting Monday, Sam will begin fifth grade, Kate will take a shot at third and Claire will finish her last year of preschool.

And well, I feel badly saying that I think I'm ready for the school year to begin and for this mama to implement routine and a bit of time away from my not-so-littles.

And probably par for the course, I've been feeling guilty that I'm not advocating for additional weeks of summer break.  I suppose I could chalk it up to the fact that we really do get a decent summer break.  We're one of the first schools to get out and one of the last to go back...it's a full 12 weeks of summer.  Or that, my full-on, wholly engaged, totally immersed parenting style has me tired.

And so I'm ready for apples and crunching of leaves and lots of hot coffee and crisp running weather and what I'm praying will be a winter filled with writing.

I'm grateful to you summer for everything you gave us...a much needed break from homework, loads of Vitamin D, yummy smoothies and long, lazy afternoons with our noses in books...but I think I'm ready to say goodbye.  I know it'll be short lived and that I'll be begging for you to return sooner rather than later.

But for now, here's to the start of a new beginning...a hope, a pause, a breath, a belief that all good things must come to an end in favor of the beautiful unknown.