June 1, 2016
“Are you ready for summer?” Seemingly everyone who comes in contact with us these days has that question for my boys. They, like 99.9% of all other kids, wholeheartedly answer in the affirmative.
Uh, me? I’m answering on the other end of the spectrum.
At this point in the school year, I’m typically slapping the peanut buttered piece of bread to the jellied one and tossing it in the lunchbox. I’ve given up on smoothing out any wrinkles in the school polo shirts.
Most years, when the calendar flips to June, I am done. Finished with school and routines and lunchboxes and homework and above all else, projects. Done.
Typically at this point, I’ve moved on mentally to summer and sleeping in. The season when bedtimes become lax and so do the limits on popsicles.
This year must not be typical because I am not ready. I’ll gladly pack another lunch or sign another form. I’m even willing to buy another piece of poster board required for a project. Sign me up on the stay put list. I’m not ready to move on. Use some tacky glue to hold us in this school year a little longer.
It’s been a good year. Back that up. It’s been a fantastic year.
My oldest ventured into middle school without a hitch. A seemingly drama-free year highlighted with a study hall to complete homework and teachers that balanced responsibility and childhood made for an awesome year in sixth grade.
As for my third grader, wow. Can we please develop a Teacher Hall of Fame and induct his teacher? This woman has a heart of gold, a love for learning, a zeal for her kids, and a set of tear ducts to back up it all up. If the hall of fame doesn’t work, how about a campaign to move her to fourth grade?
To top it off, my baby somehow managed to graduate from preschool last week. He was surrounded by teachers who loved and laughed with him. My little tag-along partner will be off to kindergarten in the fall.
Seriously, this is all a little too much for a mama’s heart.
So am I ready for summer? No. Absolutely not. I’m perfectly content to continue with the wonderful teachers and third grade multiplication tables and World History reports and giggles of preschool.
But ready or not, here it comes. Summer’s right around the corner.
And as much as I want to hold a tight grip on this year, I won’t. Okay, I tried, but the calendar won.
Eventually, I’ll muster the courage to look ahead to what’s next. Maybe even peek beyond the sweat and freedom of summer to know that God has some good stuff all lined up for other school years too. This year may go in the books as one of the best, but we still have plenty to look forward to.
Until then, I’m just going to do one last check to make sure we don’t have any of those snow days to make up.
How about you? Are you striving to stay in a particular season of life? Or are you beyond
ready to move on? Maybe you’ve finally conquered a particular stage of parenting and want
to stay and enjoy it for a while? You’re perfectly content to keep your schedule as is without
any hiccups? Or maybe you’re struggling in your marriage or other relationship and you are
ready to get over the hurdle and see brighter days? Wherever you are, know that the LORD
has gone ahead of you. He has set your path. Follow where He leads. (Even when you get
all teary-eyed over PB&J.)