Fall? Really?

It happened today with no notice - no warning - no discernible sign. Well, ok, maybe I ignored the signs. But here's what happened. The family decided to have a last family weekend before school starts. They packed up the car and headed to Hershey for a long weekend. They stayed in the grandparent's RV and had an action packed, family oriented weekend. The togetherness and closeness was wonderful. The daughter and husband had so much fun on the rides and everyone laughed a lot and it didn't even matter that it rained for most of the weekend. There was marshmallow roasting and smore making along with stories by the campfire. Yahtzee and Catchphrase were played and enjoyed by all. Sunday morning..... a campground pancake breakfast and packing up, then home. As the family pulled up in front of the house, the mother was mortified to see her beautiful dogwood, you know, the one that greets summer visitors with bright green, glorious foliage, was now no longer green. No, it was reddish-green. The daughter thought maybe it was just the reflection of the sunlight. The mother turned away in horror and said, "No, sweetie, it's fall" as a lone tear dripped down her face.

Ok, so maybe the tear is a bit of an exaggeration, but the horror was real. I couldn't believe that the tree was starting to turn red. I know there were other signs that summer is coming to an end. Buying uniforms and new shoes. Packing new bookbags with fresh supplies. Finishing summer book reports. The pool hours changing. Public school kids going back to school. I knew it would happen to us too, eventually, but just not so quickly. Don't get me wrong. I love school, love SUS. But I really, really love summer! I love the relaxed atmosphere and the time spent outdoors. I love seeing the kids tanned running around with no cares. I suppose, though, it wouldn't feel so special and magical if it weren't something we earned throughout the rest of the year. It is like a reward for a job well done for all of us.

So fall isn't so bad, and school starting is really a good thing. Its a fresh start and an opportunity to learn more and meet new people. It is the opportunity to work hard and begin to rack up those bonus points to be used sometime in late May when summer comes again and the reward is granted to us one more time.

Firefly Night

Tonight was a firefly night. We waited until it got dark and took a jar outside to catch fireflies. I guess they are smarter than they were when I was a kid because they stayed pretty high and flew fairly fast, so we only caught one. But, still, it brought me right back to summer nights that seemed so far away. Running down the street catching the little lights that twinkled in the bushes and trees. Filling jars with grass, thinking the fireflies needed a snack while we hunted their kin. Watching the jar in wonder as whatever magic it was caused the little insect to light up like a fairy out of Peter Pan.

But it was hearing my daughter laugh that made tonight such a nice evening. She ran up and down the sidewalk after one firefly and then another, laughing as she'd reach out to to try to catch it. But no luck tonight.

"Oh well" she sighed.

"We'll try again another night" we told her. And as we let Freddie the Firefly flit back into the night air I could hear myself echo in her giggles. She knows that there is still more summer to come. More August firefly nights. More laughs. And so do I.