Reagan, Maddie & Hunter,
The school bags are packed and sitting by the door. Last night we went to the Open House and met
your teachers, saw your new classrooms and got all your supplies settled. I will admit, I am still in some disbelief
that it is time for you to go back.
I don’t know how much you will remember about our summer
together. But the summer of 2017 (yes,
the whole thing) will go down as one of my best memories.
For the first time ever, we bought a summer pool pass. I was so nervous the first time we went. Keeping all 3 of you alive seemed a daunting
task. But little by little I learned to
let go and trust you (and the amazing lifeguards). And then something wonderful happened – all three
of you just took off with swimming.
Reagan passed the swim test and then just a few short weeks later Maddie
passed the swim test. I had two little
girls going off the diving boards and soon you had both learned to dive. Hunter got more and more comfortable in the
water as the summer went on and by the end of it, just this past Saturday, he
was swimming like a little fish all over the place.
I have described myself as “not a fish” for countless
years. I have claimed to hate
swimming. I have dreaded going to
pools. But no more. I don’t know if I am a fish yet. But I sat on the side of the pool for hours
on end watching Hunter splash and play and soar down water slides only to have
him stop frequently and smile at me. I
watched Reagan and Maddie gather up all their courage and do those first dives,
those first jumps off the high dive, and gave them a thumbs up when they
emerged dripping and smiling on the side of the pool. I went down water slides with Maddie and
laughed every single time. I loved
watching you play and have fun. My eyes
were on you so much more often than if we had stayed home all summer. We would have been in our own little worlds
doing our own things and I would have missed the fun of seeing you accomplish
goals and learn new tricks. I would have
missed so many huge smiles, so much laughter, and so much joy. I may not be a fish, but I am 110% a pool mom
and happy to be so.
We spent one afternoon at The Red Power Roundup with your Grandpa and Grandma. I was so proud of how patient and good-natured you were while we were there even though it was a very hot day. It meant the world to your Grandpa and it was a special memory for him!
One fun day was spent riding the train on the Boone Scenic
Railway. Hunter finally got to ride an
actual train! There were lots of smiles
and some nervous laughter as we cruised along high trestle bridge spanning the
deep, tree-filled valley.
The Fourth of July found us sitting street-side, waving at
floats and chasing down candy. We spent
a lovely afternoon at a picnic on your Aunt and Uncle’s farm where you played
with cousins. Then we enjoyed fireworks
in town with friends.
We had the most perfect day ever at Adventureland with your Aunt Amy. Oh did we have fun. You rode rides and there were very few lines. We swam in the warmest part of the day and no one got cold or bored. It was hands-down the best day I have ever spent at a theme park. You were a delight.
There was a quick trip to Grandpa and Grandma Vande Voort’s
house for a church anniversary celebration.
It may not have been quite your most favorite thing, but you had good
attitudes and were pleasant. When we
left you begged to just go back again for more time at the farm.
Reagan went to Gems camp which was one of the biggest
highlights of the summer for her. Two
days without her felt strange to all of us.
We were all glad to get her back home again and listen to her stories.
We found time for all of us except Dad to go back to Grandpa
and Grandma’s house for 4 ½ days. And
they were the sweetest days. The weather
was beautiful and you played and played outside. When you were inside you were busy
constructing with legos. The days were
slow and relaxed. We walked all the way
around Pine Lake. We went
mini-golfing. We rode go-carts which you
LOVED. We got cupcakes and slushies. We played lots of games around Grandma’s
table. We stayed up late. Hunter got a tractor ride. I soaked in all those days and treasured them
in my heart.
For our last family outing we made a last-minute trip to
Bloomfield to visit some of the Amish businesses. We shopped and had a ball at the Highway 2
Discount Grocery Store. You loved
picking out whatever candy you fancied from their awesome selection. We walked through a furniture store of the
most beautiful pieces of hand-crafted furniture. We gently stroked the most beautiful
hand-made quilts. We ate the best donuts
we have ever had. We watched the horses
and buggies as they made their way slowly down the roads. It was a fun day.
There were movie nights galore. There were countless trips to the park. There were bike rides. There were tennis matches. There were soccer games in the yard. There were crafts around the kitchen
table. There were game nights. There were ice cream outings. There were play-dough parties. There were countless trips to the library. You spent almost all of your play time in the
basement playing with legos. I couldn’t
tell you how many popsicles were consumed.
The tv was seldom on.
The mornings were slow.
The evenings were late. The
schedules were thrown out the window. We
just lived and enjoyed all the good God poured out upon us.
Was it perfect? Well,
no. There were fights. There were crabby days. There were several very minor injuries. There was tension and strife at times.
But it was perfectly imperfect. We were together. Very together. And at the end of all of these 3 months I
feel like we were knit together in a special way. I feel more bonded to the three of you than I
think I ever have. This was the summer
of a lifetime. I am so very thankful for
every minute of it. I will relive this
summer in my mind for years to come.
Thanks for the beauty you brought to my life this year. I am so grateful I spent it with you!
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