School's Out!!!

Originally I was hoping to compose this post for the last day of school, but that day came & went. Two weeks later I am finally making the thoughts in my head a reality . . .

 

By the time the last day of school rolls around I am usually as excited as my kids for summer. This year was a little different, I think I was more excited than they were for the school year to end & summer to start.

It seems that this last school year has been one perpetual wave of exhaustion. I felt like I was constantly swimming against the current and could never get caught up. I have spent a lot of brain power trying to figure out why I always felt so tired, why I secretly day dreamed of sleeping all day, or why I felt like I could never get on top of all that was going on around me.  I haven't come across the answer yet but I do know that my wish for summer plans surprises most . . .

What are you going to do this summer? What are your summer plans? are normal topics of conversation weeks before the school year ends. I have surprised many by responding, " I hope nothing! I just want to wake up everyday with nothing on the calendar & say to the kiddos, 'what do you want to do today?' "  It sounds heavenly!

I have grown tired, or so very tired, of the "world" telling me what to do, where to go & when to be there. I have grown very tired of being "Mom" & all that falls under that umbrella. You should see my calendar! Tired of schools dictating when I wake up & get dressed. Tired of kids activities racking up the miles on my mini van. Tired of paying visits to the doctor, dentist, chiropractor & optometrist; times 6 (Paul can take himself thank goodness). Tired of dutifully going the extra mile to be a good disciple by serving the young women of our ward. And the list could go on . . .

I am tired of being tired!! So why am I so excited for school to be out? . . . Because I don't have to make a lunches that won't be eaten until 5 hours later, I don't have to try to help kids with homework at the same time as I am trying to make a lovely nutritious dinner (who am I fooling, that hasn't happened in years), it's OK if the kids pull dirty clothes out of the laundry basket because we are staying home today, it's ok if they pulled wrinkled cloths out of the piles of clean laundry (that has sat there for a week) because we aren't going in public today, it's ok if I am out running errands past 11 because I can leave the three year old at home - no more falling asleep in the car & missing nap time, the pressure to get kids to bed by a certain time is gone because they don't have to be awake at a certain time. Freedom!!!

Why I so excited for summer to be here? . . . Because I get to be free to design our days however we want. Some days I am sure we will choose to be busy going & doing, while other days we may just stay home & hang out on the living room floor playing with toys. I hope by the end of the summer I won't be so exhausted & that I can once again enjoy being "Mom".