Summer Regrets & Blessings

I start back to work at school tomorrow.

Sigh...

I know a lot of people are ready for it, but not me. I enjoy the summer: swimming in the lakes, camping, sunshine, gardening, children playing, time to write. Part of the problem is that I plan for a full three months of summer. The reality is that it's a week over two months, and it goes by quickly.

There are so many things I thought we'd get done--things I hoped to do, things I planned on doing:

• more bike rides
• more museum trips (didn't do a single one--but those are kind of a rainy day thing, and we didn't have many of those)
• more camping (which had better happen this fall)
• more projects around the house
• more marketing on my book
• more swimming
• more summer concerts
• more writing done
• more hammock time (I was in it maybe once all summer--scandalous!)
• more hiking and exploring natural places
• having more people over for grilled supper outside
• playing more kubb & molkky
• doing some day trips

But it's easy to want more--the hard part is being content with what did happen. Actually, that's not all that hard. There was a lot of blessings this summer:

• A train ride with the Wenell family
• Seeing the boys fish for the first time
• Two fun camping trips with friends
• The Trumper family reunion
• Cabin time in Wisconsin
• 4th of July parade
• Fireworks
• Concerts at Lake Harriet (including one followed by watching The Goonies)
• Soccer games
• Farmer's Market
• Swimming at Cedar Lake
• Going to the zoo
• Playdates for the boys at the park
• Longer bike rides with the boys than we've been able to do
• Seeing flowers and vegetables grow in the gardens
• Most importantly, time with the family

But the savings account is dwindling, so the paychecks are needed, and back to work I go. And work is good, and it doesn't mean the fun is over. There is still time for things to happen: fall camping, evening picnics, weekend day trips, etc.

Sometimes it can be go hard to go back to school and hear all the reports on "What I Did This Summer." I can get jealous of the big vacations, expensive trips, expansive travels. But summer isn't about how much we get done or how much money we spend doing things. It's about how you spend the time, and we had some good quality time and enjoyed life. No regrets.

Well, maybe a few, but they're overshadowed by plenty of blessings.