We had a couple of firsts this summer. The two older boys went to a local church camp for the first time this summer. They had a great time, and are looking forward to heading there again! You might be thinking that 14 and 13 is a little late for the "first summer camp" experience. Confession: I am paranoid about who my kids spend time with when I'm not there. It amazes me that some people can just drop their kids off at a day camp, or zoo camp, or ball practice or whatever and not even bother getting to know the people who are in charge of their kid! I want to know and I want the people in charge to know that I want to know. I don't think that this is "helicopter parenting"...just intentional parenting. Thankfully, we are good friends with the people who work at this camp, and so the boys were able to enjoy this experience.
They went to Scout camp this year too. (Not by themselves, though!) Spent lots of time learning and growing in new experiences. Came back with bruises, bumps, bug bites and a bit of sunburn, but also with memories and confidence in new skills. The first was that First-Born filled out his first job application to work there next summer! Side note: how do I already have a kid who is old enough to fill out JOB APPLICATIONS?!
Stitch has been growing and learning how to be a big kid. He is in that middle stage of childhood where he feels too big for some things, but is too little for other things. But he is weathering it fairly well... he is our hands on kid and has been learning how to use the grinder to make wooden swords. He also spends a lot of time climbing trees and "adventuring" outside.
Little Sister has had a couple of firsts this summer too. She started taking piano lessons, which she was excited about. And I don't have to nag her to practice! (Yet...) She enjoys doing something "big" like the boys. She also learned how to paddle and steer the kayak all by herself. I was really impressed that she was able to manage it on her own! This week she will get to do one first she is really excited about....her first library card! She is really looking forward to this important day!
As I think about these milestones I am reminded of that saying about how the "days are long but the years are short." Seems so true as I look back. What happened to all those days that I thought would never end? Where did they go? Now, my kids are big enough for another first...one I though would never get here. They can stay home by themselves. I can leave them to run to the store, or even go out for a lunch date with Hubby. Y'all... I remember thinking that time would NEVER come! And now that it's here, I wonder where the time went.
So, my thought for today is even if you're stuck in the middle of something stressful (potty-training, juggling toddlers and babies, working on a specific "attitude adjustment"), take heart. Even though it seems like it will last forever, it won't. I'm not going to tell you to "enjoy every minute" because really...that's a little silly. I'm never going to enjoy cleaning up bodily fluids or stepping on toys I've said to pick up a MILLLION times or reminding someone (not so nicely) to do the chore I've already told them to finish 25 times today. But I will tell you to take that 5 minutes at the end of the day (when they are all in bed!) and sit and think about the day you just had. To remember that it is done, and tomorrow is a new day. For new starts and new mistakes and new grace. And it's one day closer to not having those little people under your roof every minute of every day. Which, frankly, sounds amazing most days...but one day it will be reality, and you'll be busy in different ways, and you'll long for those days when they were little enough to pick up and hold...even if it was just for a few seconds. Enjoy those moments while you look forward to the new ones that seem so far away. And when those bigger "firsts" start happening, enjoy those too! :)
