Where Has All the Summer Gone?

My favorite pic of Cry Cry last summer.

Last summer was lovely.  We had a great routine.  We slept until about 9:00, ate a leisurely breakfast, changed out of our pajamas into our swim suits, packed a snack and headed to the pool.  At the pool, the kids swam away the summer heat with their little friends while I chatted with friends (and of course, cared for the needs of my children at the pool).  On the way home, we stopped at a gas station for some cheap sodas.  Then Joseph and Nathan took power naps and the Big 3 did some school in my perfectly quiet and clean house.

This summer couldn't be any different.

And I'm bemoaning it a little.  Losing a summer.  We've been to the pool 2 times.  We've spent most of the summer in the car going from place to place.  My house has officially been beyond messy since about springtime.  The "knowing I'm going to pack up and move" syndrome kept me from doing any organizing since then, and the piles around here are showing it.  My diet has consisted mostly of my morning cup of coffee, my lunchtime diet coke, and my afternoon iced coffee... throwing in whatever fast food item I might pick up in the meantime.  My kids have watched more Netflix (or as Cry Cry calls it-- Flix) on the iPad than I would like to admit.

My reason for saying all of this is to confess that I haven't handled this busyness all that well.  Sure, I could make excuses.  Excuses for why I dropped my Bible reading plan sometime in March.  Excuses for why I haven't exercised for nearly a year.  Excuses for why my fuse is short with my kids, especially my older ones.  I could say that I can't do it all.  But really it's my fault.  Life got very busy, and I turned to my own strength and get-it-done work ethic instead of keeping my focus on what God could be teaching me through a busy season like this.  My heart has been anxious, not peaceful.  Worry has stolen what should have been joy.

I know not all is lost.  I know that God's timing is perfect.  I know His timing is intentional.  I know He wanted me to have this crazy summer, otherwise I would have had a restful one.  He knows what I needed to learn.  I know more about my weaknesses, and am excited to work on them, so that next time there is a season like this (because I know there will be), I'll do better.

Packing up boxes now, and hopefully will get more pics on here soon.  Our new and bigger hard drive is here.  Now we just have to figure out how to install it.  Anyone ever done this before?

Thanks for listening, friends.  I feel better having confessed.  I'm so thankful His mercies are new every morning.