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Shay, my first grader, informed me the other day that there were only 26 days left of school. What? Her teacher is very clever in finding a count down to the end of school that is also in the form of learning. There are 26 letters in the alphabet and the very next day was to be "A" day. I don’t know what day we are on, something like "E" or "F" by now, but it has made Shay terribly excited that summer is just around the corner.

I remember thinking how ready I was for school to start so we would be on some sort of schedule. I don’t think that happened this year. I have been running around since this time last year with no relief. Here we are on the brink of summer vacation and I don’t know how we got here.

I was excited for Coy to enter high school. Now every year is a count down to his graduation. He will be a Junior next year. Michala will be starting Jr. High sports and Shay will be in second grade. (Second grade is down the other hallway at the Elementary school. This is a big step. They start reporting grades for the A/B Honor Roll.) It is just going to be a big change.

One summer to the next seems to go by quicker with each passing year. Starting in June we have family reunions, Mac has volleyball camp and Coy has a football camp. Poor Shay still gets to tag along to every event, but she is a good sport.

The years fly by when you are all grown up. I’m sure my kids don’t see it that way. I’m sure they think it has taken forever. With each passing milestone my kids take I get a little sadder. Thinking that one day it will just be me and the husband to fill up our home.

But in the mean time, we will try to make the best of each day. Jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath, riding horses, jumping in the mud puddles, and going to the river. These are the memories I want to keep with me forever.

I know, that from time to time, we all get overworked by the simple aggravating things that our kids do on a daily basis. But I don’t want to remember that I screamed at Mac today over something silly. There is nothing worse than watching your child’s heart get broken. But we do it all the time. We have to learn to breathe through the chaos. It’s the little things in life that make it worthwhile. You have to let the good times make it to the memories.

I know that I harp on this subject a lot. But it is the one that I care most about. My kids. There is no reason to parent halfway. Jump in headfirst. The husband and myself had a long talk over parenting halfway this weekend. They are only with you for a little while. Hanging on your every word. Asking you for the answer to their questions. We have to parent at a 110%. Everything else can wait. What is more important than your kids?