Farewell, Summer!

When summer first begins, it stretches ahead of me...so many weeks of "free time"...so many infinite possibilities...day trips, weekend trips, Summer Projects to complete, luncheons to attend, closets to organize, pounds to lose, adventures to go on... It seems like it will go on forever and I am always amazed by the fact that I managed to choose a career that I actually love AND gives me 2 months off every year.

And then it arrives: The Last Day of Summer.
Here it is.
Today.

Tomorrow, Hubby and I go back to work. Next week, Ben returns to school and Aidan Kai returns to daily babysitting at the Grandparents'. And a lot of those plans I'd had on the first day of summer were fulfilled. There were many Family Day Trips, a few weekends away (with and without the kids), a few pounds worked off thanks to that extra time in the gym, and there were most definitely a few adventures shared (but not on this blog). One closet was half-way organized. A couple of Summer Projects were completed, while another few were either started and left unfinished or just plain forgotten. And the luncheons? Well, why is it that it seems I have even less time to socialize in summer than the rest of the year?

It is amazing how quickly you can get back into "Real Life Mode." Most summer nights, I'd be watching a movie or out for babysitting or packing for the next day at the beach. Tonight? I was, once again, the robot making the lunches and preparing the coffee, placing work bags by the door.

Summer went by quickly. It was wonderful. But unlike most summers, when I would be mourning the end of summer and freedom and carefree days, I am just about ready to go back. Keeping 2 small children happy and entertained for 2 months is not always easy. Or fun. Even Ben asked a few times: "Hey Mama, when is summer going to be over so I can go back to school?" It was a great run. Lots of family time. Lots of couple time. But I think we're all ready to go back to reality. I'm (almost) looking forward to it.

(Stay tuned: I can almost guarantee that soon enough there will be a post complaining about Real Life and counting down the days 'til next summer...)