Summer's End

I've been mourning the end of summer for a couple of weeks now. I love summer, so I hate to see it end. Sure, according to the calendar, and the typical weather patterns, there's plenty of summer left, but for all practical purposes, we've reached it's end. School starts for my kids on Wednesday. I'm not looking forward to getting everyone up early and out the door to meet the bus everyday. I'm also not looking forward to the fact that our time together as a family will be dramatically shortened-my husband works an unusual schedule, so there will be entire days where he only sees the kids for a few minutes in the mornings. My work schedule fits around his, so there aren't many times where we will all be together as a family. So, I've not been looking forward to the start of school.

Today, I took my kids to the park in a neighboring town. The plan was to let them have fun running around and playing, while I read a good book on a park bench in the shade. The park was deserted-apparently school had already started there. The monkeys ran around for a few minutes playing together, until my daughter decided she didn't want to play with her brother and sat down under the fancy, barn-shaped playset, with a bored and tired look on her face. My son came over and sat next to me on the bench and stared off into space. Neither could be encouraged to move. Barely 10 minutes had gone by since we arrived. I wasn't ready to leave yet-I wanted to read my book, and honestly, I wasn't ready to return home to my sink full of dishes, and too-quiet house. The kids just sat, until my husband, who is out of town for a work meeting, called. Then, as they always seem to do when I'm on the phone, the kids got up and started pestering each other. Seriously, what is it about perfectly calm kids acting like maniacs when Mom is on the phone? There must be a subconscious message in a phone ring that tells kids "you must yell and scream and act as obnoxious as possible while Mom is talking". I actually remember my brother and I doing the same thing to our poor mother, but I can't remember why we did it. Anyhow, I have to say that I was actually a little pleased when they started throwing mulch and acorns at each other, because they were actually up moving and having fun again! (Hey, I warned you that I was an "imperfect" Mom, right?) But, as the saying goes, it's always fun until someone gets hit in the head with an acorn... (Don't worry, she was perfectly fine).

Anyhow, we reluctantly schlepped back to the van, swung by McD's for dinner, and went home, where everyone is staring at tv or computer screens, or both. The point of all this, (and surprise! I actually have one this time!) is that I suppose we are ready for summer's end after all. When the prospect of a beautiful, sunny, warm day, and free run of a park playground doesn't get you excited anymore, then it's time for a change.

Tomorrow, we get to go to the school, and find out where the monkey's classrooms are. My daughter is beside herself with excitement, and while my son says he isn't excited at all, I think he, too, will enjoy the change in routine. I'll get back into the routine of working more, and when I'm home, you'll find me sitting on the porch, reading a book, enjoying the rest of the summer.