This Season

I am here.  Waiting and wishing for summer.  But as soon as those wistful words land on the page I want to take them back.  For if summer is here then that means the Things are another year along in school and we will be celebrating the onset of summer vacation and growing up and camps and all that is to be.  Here in 2013.  So I'm here.  I'm here.  I'm going to be present in the now.  In the chaos that is May.  Shout out for all the Mamas that wrestle through schedules and all the lasts that this season brings.  The last choir concert.  The last art show.  Last test.  Last school play.  Last, last, last.  I don't know that the word itself does me any justice.  Why do the months of May and June necessitate this?  After almost 11 years of schooling I still do not understand this phenomenon.  There are graduations and promotions and goodbyes and all that comes with it.  Why oh why do we put more on ourselves in these months.  And for those of you with littles nipping at your feet summer often means everyone home, all day, everyday.  Oh my.  Yes, I remember.  It can also mean no schedules.  Sleeping in late.  Getting messy.  Creating.  Laughing.  Staying in pajamas.  Building forts.  Catching lightening bugs. Playing flashlight tag.  Sidewalk chalk.  Popsicles.  Yes, even for those of us with teenagers it can mean all these things.  At least I hope so.  For at least one more year.  Pretty please.

So as I beckon summer and it's long, lazy days I am grateful for this.  The scattered, overwhelming now.  Where there are two football matches a week, late Wednesday nights, study sessions with note cards and candy, a little fretting over finals and the countdown of Mondays until it's over.  I will be ever the optimist that these days are few and far between and I won't fret that we have only two more summers with the eldest Thing.  And so, so much to learn.  Agh.  I'll be ever present and then soon enough we welcome in high regard our summer.