I have 4 kids, Beth is 17 (almost 18), Danielle is 15 (almost 16, if you please), AJ is 11 (and a half) and Joy is 8 (could you say, "and a half" for me too, Mommy.) We live in NY state and our school year includes practically every secular and religious holiday known to men, so school starts the day after the day after Labor Day and continues through the end of June. This makes for some great conversations toward the end of the year:
"Mom, why do we still have to go to school when it's summer?"
"You don't have to go to school in the summer."
"Mom, when does summer start?"
"When school is over."
"Mom, what's the summer solstice?"
"It's the day of the year with the longest duration of sunshine." (keep it simple, sweetie)
"Mom, when's the summer solstice?"
"This year it will be June 20th."
"Mom, why did you say we don't go to school in the summer when we have a whole week of school after the summer solstice?"
Dang, walked right into that one, didn't I? Have to pay closer attention to the questions I'm asked while trying to listen to a book on MP3 and rooting through the freezer for something to cook.
While the kids and I are all looking forward to the freedom from schedule that summer provides, I realized a few weeks ago that I will experience something that I haven't experienced for a really long time. Beth & Danielle are going on a mission trip to Mexico to build houses and AJ is going to be at Northern Frontier... the very same week! I will be the parent of just one child for a week. It's been 15 years since I have had only one child around and Joy has never experienced being an only child. It's been interesting to plan with her exactly what we will do while they're all gone.
At first my husband and I told the older kids that since they would be away and there would be only be the 3 of us, we could finally afford Disney World! Their horrified expressions gave way to smirks as they realized that there was "no way" we would do anything as mean as that to them. Since then, Joy and I have discussed buying a really "girlie" video game (something with flying pink ponies, or bunnies, or Barbie) which we can play on one of the various game stations (owned and fiercely protected by her siblings), going to the beach/pool/park everyday, getting a puppy (dream on, kid!), having a summer birthday party (her birthday is in December), watching Wall-E and Kit Kittredge (which come out while the others are away), visiting my parents in Nevada, going horseback riding, planting flowers, and learning to cook soup in the microwave and grilled cheese on the stovetop. Our summer is a vast open horizon with very little planned for the times that are ordinarily occupied with school. Joy has some ambitious plans... unbeknownst to her, my selfish side is also planning.
I love to sleep. Unfortunately, only one of my children loves to sleep as much as I, and Joy is not that one. I have been known to ask my sleep-interrupting children, if they are either bleeding or on fire and, once I have been assured that neither affliction is upon them, threaten them with dire consequences, turn over, and fall back to sleep. I can easily spend 10-12 hours sleeping but I know that at the end of the week, I will regret all of the things I "had" the time to do, yet passed over doing. As the summer draws closer and closer, my prayer is that God would direct my plans because I am very, very good at going into free fall. This will be a great challenge with the price of gas making staying at home, where my computer and my bed tempt me continually, so financially appealing. I hope that I am alone in this dilemma of how best to spend my time, but I'm pretty sure that I am not. So, sisters, repeat after me: "Lord, help me to love my children, more than I love myself... and deliver me from the puppy trap!"
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