Summer Musing

When I was a kid I cried when summer break arrived, I knew I wouldn't see my friends as much which was sad and even then I knew that the end of school every year meant the end of something that would never be exactly the same again. 4th grade wouldn't be like 3rd grade was, there would be a fresh mixture of kids, a different teacher, and a new schedule, not to mention new requirements and things to learn. I don't think I necessarily hated change, I just liked where I was and didn't mind staying there.

Now as a mom, I am thrilled that it is summer break for my kids. I love the extra time with them, the more relaxed schedule, the later bedtime (sleeping later) and the activities that we can enjoy! The only thing that I don't like about starting summer break is the same thing I didn't like as a child, the realization that another year has passed. My girls felt like the last weeks of their school year drug on and on, but to me it flew by, in fact Christmas was just the other day and they started 1st and 2nd grades just a few weeks ago. I don't know what it is about getting older that makes time seem to pass more quickly. Maybe because I am busier or have more to worry about, or maybe it goes by so quickly because I won't want it to!!

This spring I was able to attend a couple significant events for our youth students; 8th grade graduation and Troup High School graduation. Even though I have only know these kids for a few months, I had to fight back tears for them. The 8th grade ceremony was especially emotional for me! There was a slide show of pictures from their 3 years in Junior High and it was amazing to me to see how much they had grown and matured since the beginning of 6th grade! Watching the pictures of the girls pop up really got my attention, they entered 6th grade as little girls with messy ponytails and funny faces and were leaving 8th grade as young women with highlighted hair and make-up. So much happens in those few years; crazy!!

When my girls were born, wise mothers told me over and over, "enjoy them while they are little, they will grow up before you know it." And everyone of them was right, Haldey is 8 1/2, which means she is almost half way grown. She will be graduating in the year 2020, with Caedlyn right behind her in 2021, which sounds like a long way off to my ears, but my heart knows that it will be over in a flash.

Anyway, I said all that to say, I am trying to make a conscience effort every single day to make sure that when they graduate from 8th grade as young women and then from High School as able young adults, they know that they are amazing, loved, gifted, treasured women who were created for a unique purpose by the same hands that made the wonders of the night sky!! Proverbs 3:1-3 says "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot." I know there will come a time when all three of my girls will uproot and head out to start their own lives and families and though the idea of that is bitter sweet, I want to focus on planting everything I can now so they will be ready then! I pray that those of you who have children will make the most of every day with your kiddos as well, because our time with them is fleeting! And those of you who don't have children, who maybe are still living in your parents' house as a child, you too should remember that time flies so make the most of every day, with your family and friends, it will never be just like this again!