as summer gives way to autumn

The calendar says that autumn will not arrive for another two weeks, but when you’re the mother of school-aged children the school calendar often dictates the seasons more than the axis of the earth. Fortunately, our state doesn’t allow school to begin until after Labor Day; though, high school sports and marching band have forced us to settle into the school routine sooner than previous years.

Hmm, it always works out that way with children. Just when you become accustomed to their lives – the day to day ebb and flow routines that come with each stage of growth – they grow up some more and you’re suddenly thrust into learning the ways of parenting again. Parenting is never for wimps and you’ll never have it all figured out.

I sometimes wonder who grows more. My children or me.

::

We’ve enjoyed the last couple weeks of summer vacation, tackling a few projects before the calendar fills up and squeezes out our free time.

And I counted the many gifts along the way.

#1137 – 1166

• my man for staying up late with me while I finish a post

• email from an old friend

• watching her draw

• my man’s job held firm for the new school year; uncommon peace as we waited all summer for the verdict

• Annie Downs for Skyping with my small group girls – what a treat for all of us!

• Thomas Edison-style light bulbs for our new lights (what a find!)

• before and afters; and the process, too

• eating dinner outside
• cooler air; opening the windows; turning off the air conditioner
• two rainbows in one week; the second one a double rainbow!

• having a getting-old moment with my husband; growing old with him

• new cross country season; watching my boy run
• son’s first marching band performance

• home football games; everyone cheering for the other team as they scored a touchdown after being down 65-0

• reworking my blog home (new domain, in case you didn’t notice ) and coordinating everything all over the web
• Erin at Design by Insight for being so helpful to answer my questions when I get myself in a technical bind

• fall calendar filling up fast with practices and meets and games, oh my

• applying for our passports

• nesting mode kicking in; organizing some things around the house
• bringing out just a few touches of fall; the smell of new candles

In hope,
Shelli

This post is linked with the Gratitude Community at Holy Experience
as I share my list of One Thousand Gifts.