Welcome Back Summer

I wasn't exactly sure how summer was going to feel this year.  Well, I knew how it would FEEL; we're in Michigan, so it's lots of humidity lots of the time, but that's just the weather.  I've spent the great majority of my life as either a student or a teacher, so the beginning of summer has always meant a countdown to freedom.  Without a classroom of kids (and a teacher!) looking longingly at the calendar and clock each day, I didn't know if summer would have the same luxurious appeal.

Yet, somehow, the anticipation is still there.  Sprinklers, fireworks, sunscreen, sand, longer days, sticky nights...those things are still creeping onto my radar, and seeing summer through Abbey's eyes is a new kind of magic.  We've been talking about our annual Kalamazoo visit to Abbey, and she has started saying, "We're going to the beach today?" every day.  I hate telling her no, because I know the idea of "two more weeks" doesn't mean anything to her, and it seems far away when I have to deny her request once or twice a day!  Summer is on the horizon. 

Then tonight I went for a run as dusk was slowly fading to darkness.  The air was just a little bit heavy with humidity as I took off down the street.  Suddenly, I noticed that I had company escorting me along my route.  Fireflies were blinking on and off, little pinpricks of light in the almost-darkness.  I don't care what the calendar might say: summer is here.

a lawnmower just her size

my darling boy on a blanket in the shade

an adorable sun hat and a sandbox filled with toys

chasing bubbles around

watching Abbey chase bubbles!

popsicles! (we're still working on a mammoth box of flavor-ice that I bought ages ago)