Down Time

I continually find myself struggling with the demands of life in general. Not the keeping up part (although that can be a pain in the rear), but with the why are we trying to part. I think back frequently to how when J and I were growing up we spent our summer days exploring the woods or the field and old shooting range across the road or at the pool or playing something. We didn't come in to the house except to eat, check in with Honey, or to ask permission to stay out later to play. We enjoyed all the benefits of lazy summer days. Sure we had chores, but by and large we were blessed to spend time just being kids. Aside from school during the other seasons of the year, we still spent our leisure time in quest of the ultimate fun thing to do and playing our guts out. I guess the key words here would be "leisure time". I find myself boycotting more and more things that pull my kids away from them having leisure time. There are so many opportunities out there, don't get me wrong, I want them to be able to experience all that life can offer, but in balance. I am the mean mom a lot of days (only x amout of game/tv time!) This summer I've said no to a lot of things including soccer camp and cello camp and I'm sure there are a whole bunch more "camps" we've missed out on. Plays and summer exploration classes and the list goes on and on. But being a mean mom pays off when I look around and see all three of my children at various spots curled up engrossed in a book, listening to Erika say "I'll race you outside to ride bikes!" and then hearing the stampede out the front door, watching them play in the rain, hearing them laughing while they run through the sprinkler, shooting water at them through the end of the noodles at the pool, or hanging out in the art room with my three little monkeys while they are hard at work creating something. When I walk by and smell the scent of pine needles and find myself instantly transported back to childhood memories of hiding in the pine trees while we played I find myself longing for my children to have the chance to build the same kind of memories with each other, to have the chance to be children, to understand that more often than not the best things in life truly are free, and to know how to experience the silence at the dusk of a summer evening, take a long, deep breath, and be comfortable in themselves when they do. Yes, we're busy traveling visiting with family all summer long, but every single other day we aren't gone is all ready spoken for. They are our lazy summer days and we fully intend to spend them breathing in and breathing out, no schedule needed, imagination required.

Long Lost Friends

Can you believe it? I actually jumped through a thousand hoops, juggled a thousand details, and made the trip back to Ozark for a "mini-reunion"! I was so EXCITED to go! The facebook hype had me hyped...the crowd of those who said they were coming...I was READY. It has been 16 years since I've seen anyone I graduated with except for Kim who was at our wedding reception 14 years ago. That's a dang long time. Plus the added bonus of getting to go spend some time with John, Tosha and Chad! Jon's parents were so gracious to open their home to us for the gathering, all the details were attended to and then....six of us showed up from the class of '93. Five of us stayed and visited for the evening. You're joking right? I've got to admit...I was pretty perturbed for Jon and Kim who had put so much effort in to planning and fixing food and getting "Some Guy Named Robb" to come perform and all the other little details. But hey, the point is, I got to spend an evening with people I really wanted to visit with. It was SO GOOD to see my friends again...I might even be talked into doing it again...MIGHT!