On The Eve

Tonight we're wrapping up a wonderful two week visit from our friends Bill & Linda and their kids. They're friends from "back east". Out here, that can mean anything as far west as Fargo, apparently.  These friends happen to be from the Far East--Connecticut.

And as their visit winds down, so too does our summer. Tomorrow Tuesday goes back to school.

We as a family are learning about back to school. There's the sigh of relief--the hectic summer is finally over and we can catch our breath and go back into our routines. Time to start thinking about fall, fall clothes, indoor activities, making sure we've got enough firewood, crockpot meals... At the same time, its the end of a wonderful summer together--this one more so than ever before.

And as I said, we're learning about all of this. This is, after all, only our second Back To School year.

So goodbye getting up at 8am. Goodbye Tuesday reading until 10am. Goodbye long, lazy camping weekends. Goodbye no dress code, weeks without daycare, forgetting what day of the week it is...

And hello school clothes, packed lunches, love notes from me in school books, homework, after school activities, waiting until 3pm to go out for the weekend.

And so we recognize another step in the cycle. One step closer to high school, to prom, to her heading to college, one step closer to Coop in kindergarten, driving lessons, dating...

So here I sit, very contented with where we are right now. Its easier than it has been and I'm sure it'll get harder at some point. For now, another milestone, another thing we share as a family.

Here's hoping you're feeling good tonight, too.