Summer Joy

Somehow it is already mid-way through July. Our summer has been full of days spent in the sprinkler, time at our kiddie pool, playing outside and exploring new playgrounds. Winter feels far away. Seren would sleep outside if she could. Every night for the last two weeks, the last words she says to me are, "when wake up, play outside with mom and dad!" One can sense the anticipation of the new day to come.



This weekend we added a lot of "fun" to the weekend. We got up on Saturday and went to Kids' Castle which is a huge wooden playground. It was so hot. The parents all looked like leaves wilting in the heat. Our faces flush, our shirts soaked with sweat. We would mention in exhausted voices, "5 more minutes, sweetie." Meanwhile, the kids are sprinting through the playground, running full speed and up to thier armpits in sand in the sand box. Pushing shade and liquids, us parents try to do what's best. It is so great the kids don't notice these things.



After nap, Sam and I went on a date near my parent's home. It was so nice to just sit and chat over dinner and talk about the future. We talked about our dreams- for ourselves and our family. It was just a really nice relaxed time. I think one great thing about Sam working is that we are forced to focus more on our "family" time and more "us" time since there is less of it.



Seren starts her child care today. She is very excited. (We have pumped it up a lot). I asked Seren if there was a special friend that she'd like to bring with her to Heather's House. She looked around her room at all of her stuffed animals and picked up a teddy bear that I had long before Seren. She calls him "Momma's bear." Without prompting, she picked him up, held him up to her face so they could make eye contact and asked him, "Want to come wit me?" Apparently he said yes beacuse she then told him, "Hug around neck, oday?" (Ok?) With that, it was decided that Momma's bear would travel with Seren to Heather's house. Wish us luck that she continues to take her good naps at child care and the transition won't be too hard for any of us.



I'll leave with a picture that I think sums up the title of "Summer Joy". It is a picture that my father in law, Bill, took of Seren playing in a sprinkler in Flint. Everytime I see it, I smile.