By Sarah Shrader
Guest columnist
OK, where did August come from? I swear school just got out for the summer like last week. And now, all of a sudden, we are knee deep in practices for fall sports and buying school supplies. Sigh.
And it makes me sad. Another summer gone too fast. Only so many more nights of no bedtime routines and morning sleep-ins. Truly, I have been enjoying getting ready for work with my girls sitting with me in my bathroom asking me all the questions and telling me about their fancy dreams – things we rarely have time for when school starts because their bus comes so early, and I am rushing them out the door before I get ready myself.
How many more weekends are left to shove all the summer fun into? How many more swim days can we sneak in? We only made S’mores once this year! We definitely need to make that happen again before the end of the summer. Why can’t the school year last three months and the summer last nine? I am never ready to let summer go!
And yet, as August creeps in, it carries along with it this ironic feeling of readiness for the changes coming up. Two weeks ago, I was in denial – trying to come up with a way that we could just skip the whole back-to-school thing and keep summer forever. Then, like straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, August came flying in and well, I guess Sam I am was right – maybe back-to-school time (like Green Eggs and Ham) really isn’t all that bad.
I mean, I am kind of ready for a little less chaos and a little more routine. As well as my house staying clean from lack of occupants all day. Oh, and my pantry keeping food in it for longer than an hour after a grocery trip.
This week, we bit the bullet and went school supplies shopping – and wound up in the kids bathroom aisle acting like crazies. You know what, maybe it is time for some rules again. Ha! But, let’s be honest, there is something fun and refreshing about all new things we get to buy to send with the kids for a new start (you know, that is after the cringe of paying for it all).
Plus, I absolutely cannot watch these kiddos in all their fall sports – we are going to practically live at the football field these next few months with six of the seven kids either playing football or cheerleading.
I am pumped to watch Bubba on the football field after the last couple of months of hard work he has put into it – a new sport for him and a whole other level now that he is in high school. Lynds is cheering for the first time – she worked her booty off to make the team. Maylie and Mia are again rocking their smiles at cheer while Reagan and Preston are both taking their athletic abilities to the football field (flag for Reagan).
And I am kind of ready for some cooler nights – throwing on some sweat pants and a hoodie – saving some money on sunscreen sounds nice as well. I can almost smell the chili in the crockpot on Saturdays with football on the TV while leaves change colors on the trees right outside the window.
Wait! Not quite yet! I am not fully ready yet! I mean, I will be – I have started accepting it and I will get fully excited for it – here in just a few more weeks.
Until then, we are leaving the long sleeves and pants in the drawers and keeping the swimsuits and goggles on. Any and every chance we have at swimming or fishing or staying out in the evening while the sun is still shining, we will be enjoying it – cramming it all in.
Because, these summers with my kids — as kids — where magic comes out of imaginations and “watch this” is a never-ending plea, well, they are just going too darn fast. And I am not ready to see another one come to an end.
So, yes August, I see you – I felt you sneak in with all your back-to-school baggage. And I am telling you this – we will be ready for you – eventually. But we are not quite ready for you right now. We have a little bit of summer still left to hold onto and we aren’t letting go just yet.
Sarah (Pitson) Shrader was born and raised in Lima. She is a Lima Central Catholic and Tiffin University graduate. Sarah is a full-time working mama who enjoys writing about her somewhat crazy, always adventurous life as a mother. She lives in Bath Township with her daughters and writing inspirations, Maylie and Reagan.
