SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER! a/k/a WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Another school year has officially come to an end and I sit here amazed. Amazed at how quickly time literally flies by. I hate to sound like my parents but the truth is, I find myself saying to my children, "Don't wish your life away. The older you get the faster time goes." I hate saying it, partly because it's what my parents used to say to me, but mostly because it's so stinkin' true. It seems like just yesterday (here I go with another one of my parents' cliches) that Caitlyn was starting kindergarten. This fall she will be a freshman in high school. Claire will be in 4th grade and Garrett will begin his last year of preschool. When did that happen? I don't feel like we've even HAD him all that long and already he is 4-and-a-half. And when did I get so darn close to 40? Forty used to seem pretty old to me and well, now, I think it's the new thirty!

In all honesty though, my own age hasn't been an issue for me. It's still just a number. But when I think about my parents turning 60 well, that hits me kind of hard. I guess I never really thought of my parents being in their 60's. That just sounds wrong.

But what makes me sad is the realization that my oldest daughter is more than 2/3 of the way through the time she will spend under our roof. Each day I look at her and I no longer see a little girl, let alone that sweet baby we once had. I see a young girl who is teetering on the edge of becoming a woman. She is certainly beautiful on the outside, but what I have been noticing more and more lately is how mature her thoughts are and how she is maturing spiritually. I am pleased because it means she will be a good and kind woman; a woman who turns to the Lord for strength and comfort. I just wish it wasn't happening so fast.

Claire and Garrett are also growing up and moving into new stages of their lives. Claire's teacher sent a handwritten note home with her today that says, "Claire is such a great girl! She has matured so much this year. I think she is very comfortable with who she is and I am proud of her!" Wow. That says a lot to me. The teacher she had this year isn't exactly known for her kind and nurturing ways. I'm not saying she is a horrible teacher or that she is mean. She just has a reputation for being the teacher who can handle the "difficult" children. We were concerned about Claire being placed in her class this year because Claire is very sensitive and she is a people pleaser. She thrives in a nurturing environment but gets her feelings hurt easily by those who are less nurturing. We even thought about having her moved to another class, but we were assured by the principal that she'd be fine. And she was. She made almost straight A's this year and never complained once about her teacher. The note from Mrs. Gray means a lot to me. But I'm still having a tough time with that fact that she's actually a 4th grader now.

Garrett will be going to Little School for his final year this fall. I remember how sad I was when Claire graduated from preschool. I cried for about a week afterward. But I have had Garrett there with me for the past three years and I'm happy to have him there for one more year. I love seeing his face light up when he sees me at school and tells the other kids, "There's my momma!" He always waves and smiles from ear to ear and I often get a big hug too. When he starts kindergarten I will miss seeing his sweet smile and getting those spontaneous hugs each day at school. It will be the first time in eight years that I will be "alone" at Little School. I'm not looking forward to that. Fortunately though I do have that one last year and I intend to enjoy every single day of it.

So that's it. Another school year gone in the blink of an eye. But tomorrow summer begins and I will have all three children here with me every day. I am going to try to slow down this summer and take advantage of those lazy summer days. But something tells me that with all the stuff around here that needs to be done, summer will be gone before I know it too. And in the fall the madness will begin again.