Summer is traditionally a VERY busy time for us. My kitchen floor is almost never clean. I literally vacuum several times a day. Compulsion can be exhausting sometimes. Per usual, we have been very busy. Camping trips and gymnastics class, Green Scouts and babysitting. The 4th of July party was a hit this year as usual. We've frequented local Farmer's Markets and shopped garage sales a bit, enjoyed Jazz Fest for Father's Day. The children had their dance recital in the middle of June and it was amazing! Next week begins week one of 4 solid weeks of camps. I'm teaching music for Miss Katrina. We'll be doing Lion King...very exciting! Then it will be time for gymnastics camp...and then July will have passed just as quickly as ever and August will be half over too! Duncan will be ten in just a few blinks of the eye. TEN?!? Has an entire decade somehow passed? And the days pass more quickly than ever, picking up proverbial speed as we continue to roll, roll down this magnificent mountain of life. Such a blessing it is to spend my days with these fabulous little people we've made. Oh, but there are tears too. And it seems I miss them even when they're standing here right in front of me. Just last night we headed out the door at 11:30pm to catch the midnight release of the last Harry Potter film. Oh, I cried and cried during the film...and not due to sadness within the context...I was cring over time. Time sure knows just how to get away from us. With age comes experience and with experience comes loneliness. It's just a bit harder to connect these days, what with such a disconnected world and all. And my kids need me a little bit less every day. My parents get a bit older, greyer. Such is this circle, a roller coaster really, and we'd better enjoy every minute...the ride is quicker than we think it will be. Every moment must count...my new mantra.