Summertime blues

Every year at about this time, as summer days drag on and on, I start to get a bit restless and, dare I say, grouchy? It's funny how I begin the summer giddy with anticipation of all the swimming we'll do, popsicles we'll eat, and just how much free time we'll have to relax at home. But, now I'm over it. I'm tired of sunscreen, burning hot seat belts, mosquitoes, dying grass, and sweating on the two house walk to the mailbox. I'm ready to resume our normal schedule and I'm ready for the weather to cool down enough to allow me to send my kids outside to play without them returning in 30 seconds because "it's too ho-ot to play outside!" Unfortunately, we're still a long way from respite from the triple digit temperatures and crisp fall days seem almost unreachable.

Being stuck inside has never agreed with me, and I'll admit I've fallen into a bit of a funk. I realized today after a "discussion" with Avery about the need for gratitude, that I need to try to focus on the good of today, rather than dwelling on the negative and wishing our lives away. So, I'm going to work on remembering the good things about summer and life right now, and hopefully my posts over the next few weeks will reflect that.

In that spirit, I'd like to list five things I'm grateful for today:

1. The armful of puppies that I have in my lap right now. We're dogsitting Jet, mom's Labradoodle puppy, in addition to our own little Oliver. Really, who could be in a funk with an armload of squirmy, furry babies like these?

2. I'm grateful that I got to go today to a job that makes me feel like I'm making a difference.

3. I'm grateful for the silly nonsensical stage that Griffin is in right now and the crazy things he tells me. For example, today he said, "I had my half birthday on platform nine and three quarters, but I turned three on March twenty thirty."

4. I'm very much enjoying the philosophical phase that Rhys is in. Although his questions sometimes make me squirm, it's amazing to see how he's developing and just so curious. He seems to be a neverending fountain of curiousity about God, the universe, and, of course, Santa Claus.

5. I'm grateful that my daughter and I were able to have the "discussion" that reminded me that I, too, need to remember to be thankful. I'm also grateful that she's generally very gracious and appreciative, which is why today's Incident garnered such a reaction from me.

6. I'm grateful that I actually remembered to return our latest Netflix movie, so that we have a new disk of The Closer to watch. Seriously, who could be grouchy with plans to snuggle up with their wonderful husband, a couple of cuddly puppies, and a cat or two, and watch commercial-free television? It doesn't get better than that!