27 days left

Yesterday Lane asked "Mom how many more day's of summer break" while we were on our way to the pool. After counting for a few moments I managed to squeak out "28". HOW did that even happen. I enjoyed every second with them after that at the pool. (which I always do) I felt so intentional in that moment to sit and stare at them. To just enjoy watching them swim around and splash and jump. I watched the bites Levi put in his mouth while snacking like he always does when he is at the pool and how he just loves to watch his brothers play. I had a moment where I almost had a flash of these 4 little girls I use to babysit growing up. The Schmidt girls lived right next to me when I was in highschool and their great Aunt is the house that we all so luckily get full pool access at. When the boys were jumping and laughing and reaching their arms up high and falling into the water I had this moment where I remembered those girls. I could even picture in my mind what Jordan's (their oldest) swimsuit looked like. I could picture Ellie's Spider-Man swimming trunks and cubs had and her sweet face in goggles and her sweet toddler teeth. I could picture Gracie girl's chunky little thighs and dark hair and huge smile, and sweet Jaycie's precious eyes staring up at me and that hat she wore outside. These girls are now all grown up. 2 in college, 2 in high school. They drive, work, and live their life going to the pool without their mom. They are stunningly gorgeous and all such amazing and respectable human beings and I am so proud of them. But that moment...wrecked me to my core yesterday. They were just screaming, fighting, splashing, laughing, snacking, napping, sunscreen covered, little kids....YESTERDAY.
That is how fast it goes. Not just for those girls but for all kids. I am so thankful I had that moment and that reminder. I smiled at the thought of them all and then I held on a little tighter to the moments I had with my sweet boys. I want them to remember that mom said yesterday "boy's lets get 2 of our chore's done and then I have a surprise for you"! I want them to remember the moments we ate on a blanket instead of the table, the moments I said "ok yes you can have that" at the checkout. I want them to know that we enjoyed the ordinary moments of everyday life. I want to celebrate each day with them...not just at the pool but even when we have to clean up toys. School is such a different time. There is so much pressure on a mom to have their clothes ready, lunches packed, homework done, and then there is after school activities. If I don't find joy in those things then a lot of times there won't be joy. Because school days have so many to do's....you have to turn your to do's into fun memories. In the mean time we will inch by with popsicle sticks throughout the yard, sticky door handles, and floors that never seem clean even after mopping and inch by inch sink into every moment because these 27 days and this 1 out of  the 18 summers we get with them....will never be again.