Taking a Moment

When the boys went back to school last year I grieved. Not just because school was starting and that meant schedules, homework, lunches packed, and on and on. It meant that my time to be with my boys was over and I never really got to enjoy them. Last summer was homeschool, vision therapy, swimming lessons, more swimming lessons, pressure to have the boys ready for school.  Anytime we had at home was reading, journal writing, sight words, letter sounds, vision activities, and fighting.  This summer I do not want September 1st to come and to feel that once again I lost moments with my boys.

But now it's mid-July and between tutoring (not by me), occupational therapy, MOPS planning meetings, VBS (what was I thinking), swimming (again), I look at my calendar and sigh.  I feel the days slipping by and yet I still keep saying, "when summer begins …" and yet summer is in full swing.  

Today was the first day with no plans, no meetings, no tutoring, no swim lessons, a completely free day. And then my MIL asked if we could come and help her pack. Actually, she asked if she could pay Jack to pack boxes and I said we'd all come because I'm not sure he is that helpful yet.  Today was sunny and I told the boys after Grandma's, and the grocery store, we would be off for some summer fun.  Except that the grocery story is our kryptonite.  We can not make it though without some spectacular parenting choices, lots of touching, fighting and extra items added to the cart.  By the time we were done the only plan I had for the rest of the day was home, unload groceries, and nap time for all.  

Somewhere in between putting the groceries away, and getting the boys out of room time, I made a decision. Swimming (in which I would have to get in the pool) or splash park (with everyone else in the city) would not be great choices for us at this time of day, but we could still take a moment.  

While the boys put on swim suits, I hosed off the nasty spider infested plastic pool, hunted down the broken-but-works-well-enough sprinkler and set up our own water park.  I threw out the beach towels, grabbed some snacks and called the boys outside.  

It wasn't what we had planned, it wasn't the perfect day I had in my mind, but as my youngest came running outside he said, "this is the best day ever!".  As I sat there in my lawn chair, watching the boys run from pool to sprinkler and back, I chose to let this moment sink in.  This moment where I had no place to be, the boys were laughing and having fun, and I could just enjoy the time with my boys.

I grabbed the moment and I held on with both hands. And I am so thankful.