“Soon”
We are officially in summer mode. It didn’t even take a week to get here. The kids and I have snoozed most of the early part of our days away. I’ve realized that I should not make any morning plans. We all like our sleep; especially, after staying up pretty late.
Generally, my husband and I try to keep our kids to a decent bedtime, so he and I have a chance to connect. Lately, it seems impossible to watch a show or play cards after the kids go to bed. By the time the kids go to bed, Tim goes to bed.
Between extra fun with kids outside, or jamming their shower in because they’ve gone too long without one, Tim and I don’t really have a window to hang out at the end of the day. I blame the sky for going to sleep at 10 p.m. We are on the west edge of eastern time, so the daylight lingers. Great for summer fun, not so great to get kids off to bed.
I know we are in summer mode because I have a list for everything. Packing lists, grocery lists, kids’ chore lists (which mysteriously went missing), goals for the day and week, and my own long term goals all of which bring me comfort. As soon as I wake up until I go to bed, my day is jammed with kids and summer fun. If I don’t keep track of my thoughts it’s as if I never had the thought.
What can be more gratifying than crossing off an item?
Paper lists, laminated checklists, lists on my phone, and reminders, I use it all. If there is one way cancer snuck up on me, it was being able to keep details straight. I think the number of appointments, prepping questions for appointments, and being so immersed in cancer life just had way too many moving parts. I learned to keep my lists nearby, and write it down immediately.
We’ve been busy. Summer fun is in full swing. Little brother wants to know all the things, and do them right this second. He usually can sense what’s going on, and attempts to get involved. For example, Annie put her golf clubs in the car for golf camp, and Silas took it upon himself to load every golf ball we own into the van.
He always needs to be in the know. Usually it means more work for me. Somehow, he manages to create a tornado by helping, or he throws a fit when he has to wait. One of the calming strategies that works for him is knowing it will happen “soon.” Toddlers have no concept of elapsed time. Between my brain being in packing mode and his little brain filtering when the fun begins, he’s been asking to do all the things “soon” all day long.
“Soon” we'll be tackling all things summer: Vacation Bible School, cancer camp for the kids, virtual writing conference for me, my port removal, and travel. First on the list: a family road trip to Florida. Last on our summer list, Tim and I will take a trip for our ten year anniversary.
For now, it will be much easier if I don’t forecast our plans to the little guy. Somehow, we communicate what’s going on with the girls, and he gets wind of what’s going down. At the end of the day, what’s at stake for him? Probably whether or not he will eat when he wants to and have a chance to ride his bike.
The day he can keep a list of his own agenda will be a very good day.
Here’s to a summer full of fun, happening very “soon!”
Leave a comment guessing where Tim and I will travel this August for our anniversary.
