Lean In, Summer Style

     As I said in my first post, transitions can be a challenge for me.  The first official week of summer, I found myself struggling with the lack of routine, attempting to force a new routine, and wondering why I was able to get two kids to daycare and myself to work during the school year, but was somehow unable to get my daughter to an 8:30 camp!  As I was wrestling with these thoughts and feelings, I reminded myself of my summer goals and decided to "lean in" and really try to make the goals become reality. 

    Flash forward to week two.  I have loved every moment of this week.  I have found myself hiding a monkey at the track in an effort to entertain my youngest, as I observed my oldest becoming the next Flo Jo. Well, maybe not Flo Jo, but she sure is fast! 
    By mid-week I found myself not even having to work at taking everything in and being present in the moment.  I felt every breeze against my skin, enjoyed the flip-flop tan developing on my feet, and admired the way that my smallest one was able to display both aspects of her personality as she ran the stairs in sparkly red Dorothy shoes and track shorts.  I embraced my own faults when after having a brief moment of celebration for having arrived on time to camp,  I realized we had forgotten the water bottle.  I found myself laughing hysterically with the girls as I slid down the slip and slide fully clothed so that I could, " Show you how it's done," and remembering my own childhood as I watched our feet make tracks through the house in an effort to get the towels I didn't think of ahead of time.        
    The best moments of all have been the evenings, where after a long day of play, I lay with the girls, cuddling and enjoying a bedtime story.  Taking in the sweet smell of their hair after a bath and the overwhelming wave of emotion that comes when they cuddle close and without speaking a word, tell me how much I am loved and valued. 
    The only goal I may have missed, you might be thinking, is the goal of focusing on myself. I must proudly say that I have attended to that as well.  I have set aside time to begin reading a book of my choice that has nothing to do with teaching, (although I started one of those as well), and I also broke out the sewing machine and made something that has been on my to-do list for months. 
    Although this week was amazing and my goals came easily, I can't say what next week will bring.  After all, nobody's perfect.