There were good days, and some not so good. Some days were filled with tantrums, tears, and boredom. Some days flew by, and others were met with constant challenges. No matter what the day was, I was there for every single one of them.

This Summer the kids seemed to have grown faster than ever. They all grew taller, and they also gained great maturity.

They had a lot of plans. Some were grand, others were small. We only went on one road trip out of town. For a while I felt guilty that we didn’t do enough, but by mid-July I embraced the art of staying home.

We visited the pool, parks, and walking tracks. We took Dad lunch at work, saw friends, and we even took care of foster kittens. We also talked a lot… The kids seemed to have a million questions this Summer. They had several worries, and some complaints. After all of those talks, and even gripe sessions, the kids know that I am always there for them.

This Summer I seemed to live in the kitchen. There was endless cooking, cleaning, baking, and grocery shopping to be done. And there was a lot of laundry, but that doesn’t happen in the kitchen. I think that I only got caught with all of it maybe twice.

When I was feeling bummed out about the piles of laundry to fold, and dishes waiting for me, I would take a big breath, and just a minute to think. Our kids had exactly what they needed, they had clean laundry, and home-cooked meals from scratch. Dylan would often give me a giant hug after a favorite lunch or dinner, and he would always say “thanks mom”.

August seemed to go by quickly, We worked on getting our school route mapped out, and supplies purchased. We visited the Dentist, and picked up a few new clothes too.

On the last day of Summer the kids and I went out for lunch, and we enjoyed a very lazy afternoon. I made sure to take a moment with each of my kiddos, I gave them each a big hug, and let them know just how proud of them that I am.

They are all growing up so quickly, but I love the amazing people that they are becoming.

Throughout the Summer, with all of  the good,  the bad, the tears, smiles, and many slammed doors. The endless snacks, and relentless chants of “I’m bored”, real hugs, and happy moments, I am grateful that I didn’t miss a moment of it.