It’s summer time! YAY!
I used to say, when I was growing up, that things were very different. Not only were we friendly with our neighbors, with all day play and sleep overs to boot, but if I disappeared for hours to explore the woods in our backyard and play with the inchworms or hang out in my favorite tree, there were no worries or concerns.
Now, our reality is so very different. Even sending my kids to school all day, I have to go into faith when I kiss them goodbye, praying that these school shootings don’t reveal themselves in our town.
But that concern is over – at least for the next 2 ½ months – since tomorrow is my kids’ last day of school. And, our reality is nothing at all like mine was growing up. We do not live in a safe neighborhood, hey, it’s LA! (Even Beverly Hills is having its problems these days.)
For some reason, though, my children have many friends at school, but when it comes to weekends / school vacations, their friends are “not available.” So, I basically have my darling children contained in our small quaint home with a small yard, for the summer.
Fortunately, my youngest child, Samaj, has a full day of camp on Monday – Friday. This is going to be a HUGE help. My other son has a ½ day camp and my tow teenage daughters received full scholarships for a one week camp in the mountains called “Tools for Peace.” My soon-to-be Middle Schooler, Torah, is the only one with absolutely no plans, except to spend time in her virtual world game sites. Will definitely put her on a schedule here!
As a single mom with no blood family here (from Boston originally), I don’t even have a grandparent, cousin, nephew, etc. to take my kids out here and there! We do have spiritual family, but everyone is so busy, if you know what I mean.
AND, I am self-employed with a home office. When they are fighting or blasting the TV, it is a challenge for me to focus on the work that pays our rent and so much more. OK, this sounds like a complaint blog so far, and I apologize. It’s about the Oy’s & the Joys here. So, you’ve heard the Oy’s, now for the Joys.
First of all, we all get a break from the daily grind of getting up for that school bell, to completing homework before bed. We get to rest, relax and just hang out without any agenda or major ‘To Do’ lists. Of course, I have to work, but with the flexibility of a home office, I can be, well, flexible!
Also, there is the joy of watching what unfolds for us, what blessings will enter our lives. Every summer, we are blessed with many wonders and adventures. Isn’t that the joy of summer?
Like last summer, one of our spiritual family members invited us out for a weekend of camping at a local wilderness park! It was the first time my tribe (my affectionate word for my children) camped out and made s’mores over a fire! For me, I finally got to sleep under a tree again – something I’ve missed so much. We were also invited to a friend’s beach party (literally outside his front door, as he lives on Venice beach), and we made a new local friend who had a pool. Guess where we went swimming the rest of the summer?!
For this summer, one of our major JOYS will happen their first summer weekend. We’ve booked a full week at a Las Vegas resort with a friend’s generous discount. It is the first time that three of my kids will “finally” leave California, and it is our first time visiting Las Vegas! We are all ready and excited for a week vacation.
The good news is also that my kids are getting older and are discovering the gifts they have to share with the world. Maybe they will utilize this summer to craft their skills more so. My Zak is a musician, with a keyboard, a guitar, drums, etc. Mercy loves soccer, and just finished her first league. Her coach says she has tons of potential, and that he may take her out to play over the summer.
We also have the summer to prepare for their acting careers, since they have all been accepted into a Talent Agency and we are now working on getting that going. You never know what is in store!
With all this said, I do have a request. Now that you’ve been so kind to take a few minutes to read about my summer reality, will you please offer me some suggestions in the comment box below on some fun inexpensive things that we can all do this summer? I would greatly appreciate it.
Have a magnificent summer. And, be sure to look for the joys, the blessings! The Oy’s will always be there, and that is OK!
Wendy Sue Noah is 47 years young, and a single mom of five children ranging in age from 7 – 15 years. She is blessed to have a home office with several clients, working in the Social Media world. Her personal slogan is “Social Media with a Conscience.”
The flexibility of a home office allows her to be the supportive and loving mom she chooses to be, which includes retrieving her kids from the nurse’s office when sick, attending her children’s award ceremonies, or volunteering to speak at their school’s “Career Day.” As for cooking and cleaning, she gets by OK but prays for enough money for a nanny helper someday! Wendy can be found at: http://www.wendysuenoah.com