A Fine Balance

School is over!! I read a hilarious tongue firmly in cheek post that I forgot to save and link here, but essentially the author was wondering if we could trust parents to do anything with their children over the next two months of (gasp) no school and no 'expert' teaching them.

I arrived home after my last day of (very part time) teaching and there was daughter #1 greeting me with a "Happy Last Day of School" card that she made, which was when I happily informed her that "Maybe for everyone else it's over, but we have fun all the time so we'll be learning all the time. Our school does not end!" She was quite pleased by that and also pleased that I declared her card even more important than the twenty offerings from my 'other' five year olds that I had just brought home with me.

The sun makes such a difference, everything feels easier, more relaxed. I watch my little mothers washing and hanging their baby doll clothes up outside, prepare a nutritious breakfast and lunch to eat on the deck, have a fast game of math 'Go Fish' with Mary while Laura sleeps away the afternoon in a breeze filled room, read mountains of books on the porch swing, and I just breathe a big sigh of love, gratefulness, and accomplishment. What a great day, what a great time of year.

Not that I'm not trying my best to ruin this easy enjoyment of our newfound outdoors. Brent was hardly through the door today from his last day of school (Oh, didn't I mention that we are both public school teachers homeschooling our children? Hmmm.)and I'm like a lunatic waving the calendar declaring we must decide every trip we are taking this summer, and I want at least two camping trips so as not to waste the trailer (What does that mean? Do I think it's going to rot in the driveway for lack of use? That the waste police will take it from us?) and two trips to the beach where the girls love to run on the sand, and don't forget the total of 3 weeks of classes and camps I already have them signed up for. Plus I'm frantically emailing homeschooling friends to set up day trips during the summer months so as not to lose touch...MUST NOT lose touch with the homeschooling friends.

As always it's the balance I am struggling with. Time at home with time out 'adventuring', time with family, time with Brent, time with friends, formal learning, life lessons. Here's hoping to finding a solution...right now I am reminding myself (seemingly constantly) to enjoy the moment. But isn't that an HUGE contradiction? How can I be in the moment, if I have to remind myself to be in the moment? I'll get back to you on that.

I thought I'd post a picture (for my non-existent readers). I just love the five year old casual grace of my oldest, the concentrating sturdiness of my four (just turned!) year old. Actually the oldest was probably standing like that to prevent herself from peeing...we do like to hold it until the very.Last.Second. What fun is it unless you have to go screaming through the house to get to the bathroom?