Summer isn’t everyone’s cup of tea- iced tea, of course, because it sure is hot out there. Maybe it’s just not your season, and if that’s the case then please do not apologize. Give thanks for air conditioning and go live your best life- autumn will be here soon enough. If summer feels like an extra job because of juggled work schedules and childcare and longed for vacations, I totally get that, and I’d like to offer my sincere understanding for the unique lives we all lead. And please, don’t apologize for doing what you need to do, choosing the life you choose, and finding your greatest joy when the days are not so long and the temperatures are not so hot.
Summer does, though, happen to be my favorite thing and I won’t apologize, either. It is totally my glass of iced tea- with a wedge of lemon, please.
I’m a stay at home mom and that means that when my child is home for the summer, we have the great privilege of embracing a summertime state of mind. Bedtimes are a little later, naps are hit or miss, morning routines are lazy, and daily obligations are fewer and farther between. Our days are filled with pool time, play dates, gardening, and screen time. When my husband is done with work for the day, there is time with friends and family, more pool time, adventures, back yard barbecues, and quiet nights in the air conditioning. For me, summers are the dreamy things that memories are made of. And I’m not sorry.
Our life hasn’t always looked like this. I’ve always stayed home with our children, but over the years that has meant many different things. Special needs, medical interventions, full time care giving, financial strain, military duties, high expectations, unforeseen hardships, and many sacrifices. I wouldn’t take a moment of any of it back. I wouldn’t change or skip a second. That was our life then and there was joy in it. Our life has changed in many ways and for now we have been afforded the luxury of a different pace. Summer represents something particularly sweet to our family in this season of life. And I’m not sorry.
Our days are not perfect. There is A LOT of togetherness and we sometimes get on each other’s nerves. We sometimes feel restless or overstimulated or tired or bored or annoyed or any of the other totally normal things that people feel when they spend a lot of time together. And I’m not sorry.
Sunshine boosts my mood. Sandals are my footwear of choice, even though my 39 year old feet prefer orthopedic flip flops these days. Swimsuits are our main wardrobe and we always smell like sunscreen. I love the pool and most days I’d rather float than splash. And I’m not sorry.
Our daughter spends as much time outside as she does inside. She chases butterflies, plays in the sand box, chases our backyard chickens, waits for the perfect time of day for the shade to fall on the swing set, and ends every day covered in dirt, sweat, and chlorine. She has time to be bored and find her creativity and independence. Some days popsicles count as hydration and if it can be cooked on the grill then it counts as dinner. And I’m not sorry.
Growing vegetables in our garden, sharing produce with friends, and canning fresh food like my granny did gives me satisfaction. It’s not for everybody, but it is most certainly for me. Fresh flowers, green grass, and summer rain showers make me happy. And I’m not sorry.
It won’t always be like this. As the years pass and our family changes, summers may look different, but right now summer is sweet. I am here, I am now, and I am happy. And I’m not sorry.
So, I get it. I get that summer may not be your thing. I get that it may feel long and hot and stressful for you. I get that and I have felt that at times in my life. We’re all doing what we need to do and finding happiness where we can, but to me, right now, summer is simply the best and I am enjoying my summer with no apologies.
