this summer list

This summer.

This summer I want to turn the sprinklers on for my kids and run through them with them. 
This summer I want to let them have ice cream for morning snack.
This summer I want to laugh more, play more, and listen more.
This summer I want to slow down and watch my boys scooter around.
This summer I want to take morning walks with my older girls.
This summer I want to take them to the park more often even if it’s work.
This summer I want to take the boys fishing in the mornings at the lake.
This summer I want to make berry shortcake  with whipped cream for dinner.
This summer I want to make homemade lemonade and sit on the deck it with my family.

This summer I want to make sure that those little times, those pedals and pushes, and late afternoon hours playing together before a muggy thunderstorm rolls in really matters – in fact, at least some of them – really happens.

After all, look at them.

Growing up.

Right in front of me. First they crawl, and then the walk, then they run, then they ride their bikes, and scooter, and on and on growing. Every day. One step older, one more moment of letting go. One day, the stop sign will still be there, but the six year old racing off on that old big wheel will not.

So I made a hypothetical list.

This summer I want to scooter next to them.
This summer I want to take them with me to a garage sale and let them pick one thing out.
This summer I want them to see me reading. A book.
This summer I want to play catch in the backyard.
This summer I want to blow bubbles with my Samuel and let him chase them.
This summer I want to swim in the lake with them and not worry that it’s too cold.
This summer I want to read a book to them in the morning and not be on twitter.
This summer I want to remember to slow down.

But, if you are like me, we lose track of that this summer list. We are told to embrace the moment, but that’s impossible and ridiculous, but yet yet we need to slow down. Because it’s so easy to get stuck in the short sight – all we need to accomplish or finish or what they’re not doing right or what needs to change or what we’re making for dinner – that stuff. Yet, this moment, this big wheel ride to the stop sign and back, this matters.Yes, we absolutely have to do all the short every day to day stuff, there’s no way around it – the dishes, cleaning, baking, folding, driving, etc – it’s just part of life. But, we could get stuck only doing the to-do list and missing those moments that we’ll want to remember. Life is a tension between the two filled with grace.

This summer I want to pay attention to the mom watch my cool trick moments
This summer I want to look with wonder at that bee in the flowers and the butterflies in the echinacea.
This summer I want to look them each in the eyes and tell them how much I love them.
This summer I want to take my olders to see a late night movie.
This summer I want to buy a jiffy pop popcorn and let my little boys watch in wonder as it blows up.
This summer I want to make smores with my family. In our own backyard.
This summer I want to surprise everyone with a whole watermelon for lunch
This summer I want to rest in the grass and look for cloud shapes.
This summer I want to take them to the used book store to find the perfect summer book.

Summer, despite the lazy hazy days of summer line has the tendency to actually race by with it’s own form of busy. And, if we’re not intentional the summer could pass, this summer, without accomplishing many of the things in our hearts that we want to do. So instead of guilt or pressure I decided to make a list. A simple list of summer things that would matter to me and the kids. Not a to-do list, but rather a guide – a gentle reminder to see the world just for a moment with that perspective.

This summer I want to camp in our backyard with them sleeping in the tent.
This summer I want to read with them, not pushing it off with busy, but grabbing the book for now.
This summer I want to take them to Dairy Queen and let them order what they want. Just once.
This summer I want to play cards with my daughters late at night.
This summer I want to continue helping the boys make their fabulous hideout.
This summer I want to teach them more about the garden and let them help.
This summer I want to sit on the front porch reading books with them.
This summer I want to really share the truth about Memorial Day and remember.
This summer I want to worry less about the dirt and more about the heart.

You’ve got your to-do lists. Now, add a this summer list to your to-do list. Sit down, take ten minutes, and ponder what you really want to do, what would matter to your family, to others this summer.

~Rachel