Rely on July

Dear Friends,

I took a single breath and July was gone.

Just like that.

It seems like that every year... Despite the fact that I love it so much- or maybe because I love it so much- July gets away from me before I even have a chance to dwell on the fleeting taste.

I felt it keenly this year because of all the changes in our family. T-boy going to kindergarten (more on that later), Felicity at home for 1st grade, Pip quickly leaving behind all traces of babyhood.

Here it was, the peak of Summer, but it felt like the rest of our vacation was already slated for the mental and outward preparation for school to start.

Like our Summer was already deposited, budgeted and every last penny spent... before I even got my precious yearly allotment of sunshine, splashing and spitting watermelon seeds. I didn't get to 'shop around' for the funnest way to spend our days... necessity prevailed and the "need-to's" beat the "want-to's 11 to 1. I watched the days fly away before they had even arrived.

Seven years ago in July I had a brand-new baby girl. That July too dissolved before I even noticed it was missing. Diapers, sleepless-nights, awkward attempts at nursing... they stole the time.  I wonder now why I wasn't more focused on her bright blue baby eyes, her soft skin, the breath-taking splendor of new life... my very first experience with heart-stretching power of motherhood... but there it went, flying, flying away...

Just like this July.

Gone before I knew it.

But I really shouldn't complain...

We did have some splashing.

We had some rainbow hunting.

We did have cicada shells.

We had some gardening in the sun.

We did have daddy home from work at the days end.

We got a new (to us) swing-set.

And, my goodness, if we didn't have us some caterpillars!

I guess that's something.

A whole bunch of somethings, really.

A month of somethings worth remembering.

And I'm gonna savor those somethings for all they're worth.

Because you can bet that time's gonna keep flying.

July will fly.

You can rely on it.

So all you can do is tie each memorable moment to your heart with yards of heart-string.

That way, now and then, as you watch time speed off on a breeze...

The strings will pull...

Your heart will lift...

And you will get carried away by the remembrance of it all.

Love,

The Prairie Hen in NE