Um, Summer?

Yah, you over there, Summer Break.

I know it feels like you just got here and all.

But, um, I'm also very aware that you're scheduled to leave soon.
REALLY soon!
Two weeks, which will, no doubt, fly by!

In fact, this is your shortest stay with our family.

And it's leaving me kind of heartbroken.

I want to hold tight to the memories we've made:

swimming lessons at the local pool, our little inflatable backyard pool, three Vacation Bible Schools, family trip to Virginia, soccer, icee pops, overnight trip to Syracuse (Indiana, not New York), anniversary getaway to Michigan, coffee chats, Tuesdays at the park, ice cream outings...

And yet I look at the little Summer Bucket List I wrote out in May, and nothing is crossed off.  Literally nothing.

0/10

So, Summer, can you do me a favor?

Can you maybe come back for little visits on the weekend?
Can we say not "goodbye", but "see you later"?
Can we keep this relationship going here even past the start of a new school year?
Cuz the truth is, I really like you.  We all do.  I think we've got a good thing goin' on together, and there's so much more we want to experience with you.

For crying out loud, I haven't even had an ear of sweet corn!!!

So, don't leave us, Summer Break!  We're just not ready for this to end!

Sincerely,
Jennifer, Josh, and Catherine

So, my last post was apparently a big hit.  But I write about more than infertility.  Infertility does not define me.  And even though the last two blog posts had the word "pee" in them, I promise that's not a usual topic.  Sidenote:  now, that's three blogs in a row containing the word "pee."  I have really got to quit that!

One area that I've been pursuing for the last few months is the area of minimalism and decluttering our house.

The hard part about decluttering is the process it takes to get there.

Because I have a full life and a full schedule, the decluttering process spreads over many days or weeks (or an entire summer; yah, I'm looking at you, Summer of 2015).  And you end up living like this for a sad, sad amount of time:

Bin after bin after basket after box . . .

The easy part about de-cluttering is realizing how much stuff you don't need.  It took just a few seconds to skim through the Target ad today.  We went for some dishwasher detergent and a clip to hang a wreath on the front door.  When I was looking at the weekly ad posted inside the entryway, I didn't have to look at the CDs on sale - because I can listen to anything online.  I didn't have to look at the movies on sale - because I can rent from the library or Redbox.  And I didn't have to look at the books on sale - because I can rent those too from the library of course.

No pondering over trying to make the best decision.  It was an easy decision!

Decluttering is not easy, but I'm making progress.  I hope to share more updates as I continue the journey.

Believe or not, Josh is already back to work, and the local kids are already back in school.

This summer break was the shortest ever - 8 weeks.  We are so grateful, though, for that perk of his occupation!!

About the beginning of June or so, I wrote up a little list of things I wanted to get done this summer.  How'd we do?

• Purge (still doing)
• Organize (this is really slow going, but I'm working on it)
• Decorate (work in progress, but mostly comes after the organizing; also, this is really hard to measure/assess)
• Hang pics/gallery wall (nope)
• Paint front door (I've narrowed it down to 3 colors, and really 1 I think, but it's not the same one that hubby wants, so for now we just have 3 red paint swatches taped to our front door, can you say ghetto?)

• Grill pizzas (still gotta do this)
• Dentist appointments for all 3 of us (appointments made and scheduled for this week!  It will be C's first dentist experience!  She's excited; I hope I don't make her nervous.)
• Wonderland Theater (Josh and I got to see "Paper Towns" as a Thursday matinee - when all you can eat popcorn is free, woot woot!)
• Buy a new vacuum
• Buy a dirt devil/dustbuster
• Host a yard sale (done!  times 2!)

• Go on a couples trip (Josh & I celebrated our 5th anniversary with a trip to Michigan - Saginaw, Birch Run, Traverse City)

• Go on a family trip (sorry, kid.)
• Camp in our backyard
• Use our firepit
• Make smores
• Teach C how to wipe her bottom independently (a good thing to know how to do especially considering she starts pre-school in a month!)
• Get estimates for windows (ugh.  I feel like I need to get my house organized first.)
• Stain the back deck (ahem)
• Go to the beach (we went when Josh's Las Vegas family was in town; then Catherine & I went again with her cousins and aunt)

Sadly, there was no big family road trip this summer.  But maybe we can do some little trips on the weekends.  I know things will be different with Catherine now having her own school schedule to consider, so we'll just have to be diligent to use the time we have!

Thursday night.

Trash night.



"Honey, did you take the trash out to the curb?"  "Honey, can you put new trash bags in the trash cans?  Please?"

10:00  Bedtime

Routine

Routine is comforting.  But it also gets boring.  How do I find the balance?

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  Finally.

Then Routine goes by the roadside.  Wayside?  Curb?  I don't always remember quotes and phrases.

In fact my memory is sadly awful.

A new season begins:  Summer!!



Time for staying up late and sleeping in.
Time for ice cream and an inflatable kiddie pool.
Dining al fresco.
Time for adventures and spontaneity.  Vacations.  Road trips.  Making memories.
Family time.  Sunshine.  Beach time.
Sunscreen and mosquito repellant.
Maybe even camping.  Finally.



It will fly by.  No, seriously.  Summer Break is only two months this year.  That makes my heart break a little bit.  If I dwell on it it's over before it even began.

So I'll stop to enjoy it.  I'll slow down to soak it up.

I'll relish the noisy neighborhood, because it means kids are living and loving summer.

I'll appreciate the dirty laundry and dirty hands and dirty fingernails, because it means my toddler is making memories.

I'll savor the flavor of fresh fruits and vegetables, because it means the Lord has provided a bounty in our own backyard.

I'll inhale the aroma of a multitude of flowers that are mixed in the same bed of dirt as weeds that need to be pulled.

I'll pause to cherish the moments.  All of them.

Looking Forward To . . .

• jean day(s)
• free pastry day at Starbucks
• Jason & Gail's wedding
• a day off
  
• meeting with the caterer
• adding more states to Josh's & my "states we've visited" list
• watching Josh's kids sing this weekend
• gettin' more wedding stuff done
• getting to see friends & family fourth of July weekend
• seeing old friends out east
• spring & summer
• the flowers coming up in the front yard
• my house being purged, organized and clean again

• Sometimes I can't believe I'm already 30.
• Sometimes I can't believe how wonderful my boyfriend is.
• I can't wait to try KFC's new grilled chicken!!
• Looking forward to lunch with Alicia & dinner with J-La. Too bad neither will be at KFC.
• I can't stand waiting to hear back from people and being immobile until I do.
• I'm all about recycling anything I can these days.
• I sneeze when I go out into the sun.
• It has been nice to see the sun again.
• I hate when laundry never ends.
• Looking back at pictures from last spring I still cringe at the horrible haircut.
• Yet I'm getting my hair cut in two days. Yes, I'm a little scared.
• I love meeting new people at my church.
• I have decided I need a beach outfit.
• I'm getting excited for summer!
• I like reminiscing.
• And I like planning for the future.
• I'm choosing sleep over dinner now.
  

A friend asked me today if I had any summer plans. At first I heard “slumber plans” (I was feeling a bit sleepy, yes). Upon clarification, I told her I am very much looking forward to my friend Velvet’s wedding in June. I am honored at being in the wedding party and know it will be a wonderful (and highly organized!) event. The whole fam is going, and it’s going to be a mini vacation/weekend getaway in Northern Wisconsin.

So, that’s early June. And . . . that’s it. Yes, I’ve got fun things going on the next couple weeks, but that’s spring, not summer. Isn’t summer supposed to be this fabulous, magical combination of lazy days in hammocks, traveling, taking vacations, making memories, exploring, and being adventurous? I flip thru my summer calendar and see a lot of blank days, except for the occasional work event.

I HAD things planned, which have since been covered over in whiteout, trying to make myself forget about all the past plans for the future. That’s an odd way to describe it, huh? “Past plans for the future.” I had ALL sorts of plans. Some written down for specific dates, but a lot of plans for my future in general. Plans, hopes, goals, dreams. Shattered. Erased. Disappeared. Evaporated. Gone.

It’s a hard thing to deal with, having your entire future change. I’ve been trying to pull myself and my life back together. It’s not easy. I’m rethinking goals. I’m clarifying goals. The pastor of my church recently stated, “If you don’t know what you want, you’re drifting.” That struck me.

I realize now that in the past couple few months I had been getting lazy and sloppy in my path to my goals. I had been drifting. I’m challenged now to refocus on my goals. Financial goals, career goals, spiritual goals, exercise goals, weight loss goals, relational goals, stewardship goals, educational goals, personal goals…

"If you don’t know what you want, you’re drifting.” I don’t want to drift thru this life. It’s the only life I’ve got. I want to THRIVE, not just survive.