I was thinking today about the seasons. I was running (it’s a love-hate relationship), pushing the girls in the stroller ahead of me, when the skies opened up on us. Lately I’ve been having these weird feelings like I’m in Colorado; it’s something about the clouds lately — they’ve been very low, filling the skies and prone to daily afternoon storms. I spent a summer in college on a YoungLife ranch in Buena Vista, and every time I look up lately, I’m instantly transported back to that time in my life. But, then again, it’s always a fleeting moment because inevitably someone starts crying or cooing or calling, and I snap back to reality.
However, as I sweated and got soaked this afternoon, I realized that a much fun as that summer in Colorado and that time in my life was, I really love this particular season of life. I have a horrible tendency to move quickly past seasons that are ending without a single glance back (I hate that icky, sad feeling it gives me) and to hasten to seasons ahead. As soon as the spring blooms turn to swimming pools and suntans, I’m ready for amber colors and falling leaves; then once pumpkin-picking season is upon us, I begin to dream about candy canes and hot chocolate. And unfortunately it’s not something that’s always literal; I’m already dreaming about our next house while failing to appreciate the quirks of Amityville (surely there’s something I’ll miss one day??), thinking about the girls’ big girl rooms (c’mon Talie, Cricket’s only like two months old) and getting excited to having Emma Vance in preschool two days a week come this fall. It’s even this tendency to avoid the past and lurch toward the future that causes me to blog — I know how temporary this exact moment in time is, and so I’m desperate to write as much down as possible so that I won’t forget anything.
So, back to today’s thoughts…I realized that I actually LOVE this season of life. There’s this sense of newness coupled with sense of confidence I feel about being a parent. The girls still need us and love us unconditionally (and without the inevitable tween attitude that’s in our future). Ryan’s in a good stride with his business, confident and busy. Our worthwhile friendships are comfortable and fulfilling, and the thin, frail friendships of our 20s have slowly and naturally dissolved. Ryan and I have been together well over a decade, and we’re still happy. In fact, now that we have E.V. and Cricket, I’d say we’re even happier. This is the summer of our lives; the excitement of spring, full of growth and blossoming and learning, has slowly faded into the stride of sunny days and long, glowing evenings spent on the back porch with the little family we’ve built. There are proverbial bomb pops and poolside lunches and beach bonfires in this season of life, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m eager to soak in the sun of my 30s, and it begins with…well, with literally soaking in this summer’s sun. :)
(And now a photo dump of E.V.’s ISR lessons, which ended a couple weeks ago. I’m pretending that it’s not a non sequitur because technically it relates to summer. ;) )
