embracing fall.

i've been really teary thinking about this summer being over.

it's been great.  really, really great.  we've filled it with memories, trips to the coast, endless playdates and picnics at the park, tons of beach days, family time and a two week jaunt to texas.  my girls are growing, and endings of seasons for me are hard.  a continual reminder that i cannot stop time.  i am unable to keep my girls little; each day that ends brings us closer to chapters closing.  one day closer to the day they are all grown up and leave this house.

i know, depressing, huh?

but i'm a realist.  and super sentimental.  so naturally, endings are hard for me.

and who doesn't love summer in maine?  beautiful weather, long evenings as the melting sun glows through the trees.  fireflies, backyard fires, the smell of sunscreen and drippy ice cream cones.  nick&i both work in schools, so summer is especially relaxing for our little family.  a break from routine, time to slow a bit and savor.

and savor, i did.

until today.

this week has been especially trying for me and it's only tuesday.  today i found emmy eating her poop, bella dumping the sugar bowl all over the couch, and the two of them playing in a puddle of water on the kitchen floor that was created by sneaking my water bottle and emptying it everywhere.  i swear they teamed up this morning in a plan to make this day as rough as possible for their mama.  to make matters worse, i feel like i've constantly been yelling, saying "no", getting frustrated and have generally felt like i'm going to lose my mind.  they have been so great all summer.  like, too-good-to-be-true great.  until this week.  which honestly may be the lord preparing my heart to go back to work.  for which i am thankful.

life has a way of naturally preparing us for transition and change, whether we formerly thought we were ready or not.  i needed a day like today to snap me out of my sentimentality, embrace the end of this season and welcome another.  no more tears for the end of summer.  today was an instant cure for the back-to-work blues.  i am laying in bed, eyes swollen from tears of exhaustion and frustration while nick bathes the girls and gets them ready for the night.  stick a fork in me.  i'm done.

every end of something good, brings the beginning of something that will be just as beautiful.  even if it's hard.   even if it's sad.  even if it takes a while to adjust.   there are blessings along the way that have yet to be seen.  and it's the unseen and unknown that makes the endings hard and sad.  and that's okay.

as our house says goodbye to summer, we say hello to this next season.  as we dive into our routine tomorrow, we embrace fall.  fall and it's football and cool weather.  sweatshirts and all things pumpkin.  chilly air and apple pie.  first snows and the anticipation of the holidays.

and tonight, i embrace it.  in fact, i welcome it.  hello, fall.  summer has been good, but we are ready for you.  in a few short months, it will be summer again.  but until then, we have lots of new memories to make and new blessings and gifts to be given.

and i am excited for all that god has for us.