And so it is

I spent 30 years of my life believing that the New Year begins on the first day of January.  As all parents of schoolagers know, that is not the case.  The year begins anew for us every August when the first bell of the new school year sounds.  Bittersweet goodbyes to a summer that we will remember fondly...

Mama was home with the boys and her new little girl.  They collected bugs, planted a garden, watched fireworks, rode bicycles, ate Popsicles, spit watermelon seeds, dipped cucumbers in ranch dressing, ate tomato pie, swam in a lake, in a pool and in an ocean.  Spent time with relatives, welcomed home some old college friends.  Celebrated births, loved on friends.  Built sandcastles and went fishing with dad.  There were bee stings and skinned knees and a broken wrist.  Big brother learned to ride his bike without training wheels AND how to swim without floaties.  Mama and Daddy finally "got" the middle child- learned to appreciate that for him, life is light and fun.  The baby learned to sit up and crawl and has fallen into the family rhythm of the rest.

The summer went quickly but was well documented with photos and entries into the journals that I keep for each child.  Goodbye summer days with hours laid out before us with nothing to do but what we want.  See you again next year.