Seasons

I am lucky to live in a place where seasons don't change all that much.  We have cool mornings in winter and more rain. We have rain in spring and hot muggy days.  Summer can be downright unbearable but also so nice because we are free to cool off in the ocean.  Fall is hot.  And then one day it isn't and then all of the sudden you wake up and it is Christmas and you see kids wearing jackets on our brisk 65 degree mornings.  We have our own kind of seasons.  But.  We all share something in common.  The seasons of parenthood.   

Summer is not just Summer.  Summer now is popsicle season.  Taking a bath every 3 days season. Lunch outside on the picnic table and a rinse in the kiddie pool on the lawn season. Swimming lesson season.  Soccer camp season. Sun comes up way too early season. Small laundry loads full of swim suits season. Sunblock on the shopping list season. Take a vacation if you're lucky season. Summer has become back to school shopping season for those of us lucky enough to start at the end of July. BBQ season.  Playing outside until it gets dark season. Washing the dog in the pool season...

Fall is not just Fall.  Fall is finding your groove in school season.  Soccer season. Seeing pictures of your families' falling leaves season. Buying a new jacket season. Sun going down way too early season.  Collecting canned food for the hungry season. Choosing a Halloween costume season. Taking down the holiday boxes from the attic season. Choosing a pumpkin season.  Charlie Brown movies season. Watching Monday Night Football season...

Winter is not just Winter.  Winter is cutting snowflakes season. Choosing the right picture to send to Shutterfly for Christmas cards season. Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows season.  Cookie season. Donating to the Salvation Army bell ringers season. Home Alone on TV season. Warm family feeling season. Making resolutions season. Somebody in the house is always sick season...

Spring is not just Spring. Spring is watching the bulbs come up season. Playing outside in the rain season. Waiting for the Easter Bunny season. Sun staying up longer season. Eating dinner outside season. Termite season. Baseball season. Car wash fundraiser season. Spelling bee season.  Clean out your closet season...

Even though I don't have boots and sweater season here, I do share many of the same seasons you do as a parent.  I love the seasons.  I look forward to the changing of the seasons for different reasons now.  I watch my family change as the season changes and though you may be lucky to see fireflies in the summer...I am lucky to see my own kind of magic over here.