Summer End

Since our vacation, I have secretly been counting down the days until the end of our summer. Not because I want it to be over (which is usually how I feel by this late in the summer) but because I find myself holding on tight to our last summer days. 

This will be my 10th year of teaching and come August, I am always ready to get back into my classroom. Because of my job, I get to experience the best of both worlds--being a working mom and a stay at home mom. I truly love both; I miss one when I am busy doing the other.

You would think since I have technically been home with my Littles since March, that I would be very ready to go back. I miss my students, my fellow teachers, a little of the hustle and bustle, our normal. And yet here I am holding on to summer. Here I am struggling with the idea of going back....and the trouble lies in the unknown. 

The planner in me has struggled since before school let out in March. While I have become very accustomed to my lazy days at home soaking up my children, thoughts of school and the future are always close by. And maybe thats why I am holding on to summer. You see at home I know what my days hold every time I open my eyes in the morning (plus or minus some messes and meltdowns). I have control and there are rarely any surprises. But come August 18th....

I might not know what the future holds, but right now I am finding comfort in remembering God's provisions and goodness since March. And during these last summer days, I know unknown or not, everything is going to be okay.  

We got in some last good swim days. The kids used our pool a ton this summer, but once it starts to cool off in the evening, it doesn't quite warm back up to swimmable. Thats okay...there is always the lake. We spent one Sunday boating and swimming with Uncle Chuck, and it might be my favorite lake day yet. This one is scared of nothing and jumped off the roof of the boat dock...twice. Every child of mine has gotten crazier....what do I have in store come October?

Em and Aug flipped and cannon-balled all day, and we enjoyed one last boat ride at sunset. Sunset on the water never gets old. Our three were so easy at the lake this year; it just makes me excited for the memories that we have yet to make out there. I hope Littlest Baby J enjoys a boat ride. 

Our other lake day involved friends and the beach. Normally we swim a ton at the beach, but this year we had one special day. We ate a picnic lunch with the Mammosers and when they left the beach the Becks arrived. These little glimpses of friends remind me how much Em, Aug and B miss their people. They are just like me! So really however long we go to school, it will be good for their little souls. 

We finished up ball. Emery played twice a week all summer....and her game last week was the first one Bennett witnessed. He fell sound asleep every time we pulled into the park and woke up when we got back in the car to leave. We joked that he must wonder why we get in the car Tuesday and Friday Nights. I will admit that I loved him sleeping through the games...made my life easier! When he was finally awake last week I captured this sweet little moment. Douglas has the cutest shadow. 

While B might be Doug's shadow, I think I might have stolen the favorite spot. Unlimited cuddles since March will do that. I stopped pushing him to take a nap at the beginning of summer, and I do not regret my decision one bit. The boy goes a million miles an hour and then usually crashes on the couch, in the car or my favorite, on my lap. He might have a few sharing issues once Baby is here. 

 I love him.

I love him. 

I love him. 

Auggie Boy's favorite day of summer finally happened....we ate sweet corn! He begs for it all year long and asked me 400 times if it was time to shuck the corn after we got it. Later in the day he excitedly asked, "How many hairs of corn do you think I am going to eat?" He repeated this question until supper time when I finally realized he meant ears of corn...not hairs. 

And yes...we now say hairs of corn at our house. 

This picture has nothing to do with the caption but oh well. I love it too much.

These last weeks of summer have been the weeks of the "chore chart". Consistency, order (and listening) were majorly lacking all of a sudden at this Jansen house, so Doug and I implemented a very doable list of expectations for each kid. As in brush your teeth AND put your toothbrush away--nothing earth shattering.  It has already made a huge difference. Even Bennett, who before this past week got away with just saying no, has happily pulled his weight. My goal is for all of us to keep up the hard work--especially once Littlest is here. 

We squeezed in some last minute friend time. I think my favorite kind of get togethers are last minute.

The fall like evenings last week had me craving a fire and s'mores, so that is exactly what we did with the Probsts. Before friends arrived, I put on my comfiest sweater, curled up on the patio couch and watched the fire with the sound of kids running around. I told Doug that all I needed was a newborn on my chest to make it the perfect night. (I may or may not be getting a little eager/anxious for Baby J to arrive). 

We learned this past week that the Jansen girls are sadly not in the same class this year. More reason to have a pond day together! The kids swam the day away, I got to catch up with Jordan in the shade and for supper we did a shrimp boil. It was a new experience for Doug and I, and now I want to do my own. I still don't like shrimp...but everything else was yummy!

We finished the "last weekend of summer" (let the school prep begin!) with a little just us day in Casey. The kids loved the big stuff, the grownups loved all the beautiful landscaping, we all loved the ice cream.

This week we inch up bedtime, put our names on school supplies, head to meetings, go back to the babysitter, prep the classroom....and say a lot of prayers. Our summer is ending, and while I am not real sure what exactly is beginning or taking its place, we will all work hard at making it be the best it can be. We will find comfort in God's provisions and know that everything is going to be okay.