The Speed of Life

This life.

Sometimes the speed of it all overwhelms me.

I am blown away when I stop and look back and realize how much has changed and how fast.

I have two middle schoolers now... how did that happen?

My eleven year old daughter is leaving in a week to travel Europe with her aunt and her grandmother. She will be gone for seven weeks. My son, 13, has a summer job lined up with his grandparents that live here. 

This summer is going to be very different than the summers that I am used too.

I am holding on to two things... facetime every day with my traveling daughter, and how wonderful the quality time with my two little ones will be. They have never had my full attention like this before. It will be a special opportunity for connection.

I always thought that life would slow down as the children got older. It seemed that as they needed less help from me physically that things would wind down. I certainly have more freedom now. I don't have to share my body. Instead of cleaning up after them, I remind them to clean up after themselves, etc. I never anticipated the commitments though. I didn't think about the fact that they would develop their own social lives and all have their own separate schedules. Sometimes it's absolutely maddening. Our schedule right now... Drop kids off at school, go to work, get off work, pick kids up, run around to different practices (different schedules every day, track, soccer, and gymnastics) and then take everyone home, cook dinner, clean up after dinner, bed routine with little ones and then fall into bed and pass out. Every. Day. It's exhausting.

BUT, it is only a season and it is already beginning to change again. AND as I watch them excel in their different areas I realize that the commitment is completely worth it 

(although it does still drive me a little crazy). 

But now, summer is right around the corner.

That beautiful season always begins with a special stillness. 

A span of weeks where time actually does slow down, the commitments wane, and the days are very long. Our summer will begin in just three short weeks. In that time, our commitments to school, sports, and my commitment working at the montessori will all end and we will have days that are wide open with possibility. 

*That is playdough on the tray with the rocks. It's my mom's recipe and I will share it.

Nana's Playdough Recipe

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water

Mix ingredients together in a large pan and stir over medium heat for a few minutes (until the dough thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan). Turn out on to wax paper and let cool a bit. Knead thoroughly.