6 more days...

As I walked in from picking up some stuff off the back porch just a few minutes ago, I saw a tiny little bug dazzle himself in my backyard. And I felt it...summer is upon us. I love lightning bugs or fireflies as some people call them. They remind me of summer, their presence tonight beckoned to me for things to come and reminded me of a sweet memory.

When I was little, say 6 or 7, my Nonnie and Papa (my mom's parents) starting taking me on trips to visit our family in various locations around the south. I remember one trip we took to Florida, I think, and this was the first time I remember ever paying attention to lightning bugs as my Nonnie taught me and my cousins how to catch them in a jar. We would catch them and then run into the house into the bathroom (usually the only room without windows) and see the little critters light up the room. The book pictured above by this incredible children's author Patricia Polacco reminds me of such adventures. I love reading this book to my kids at school and will one day read it to my sweet Ollie and show him how to catch lightning in a jar.

I am drawing a close to the end of my 8th year of teaching...hard to believe. In 6 short (hopefully not long) days I will once again get to be stay at home Whitney. I can't wait. I wouldn't be lying if I told you I had a list of things I want Ollie and I to do that is a mile long, well at least a couple of inches...like teaching him his letters, tie-dying t-shirts, going to the pool daily, cleaning our house from top to bottom including the fridge, sorting the never ending tubs of old Ollie clothes in hopes to consign in the fall, having meals with friends, taking naps, and the list goes on.

But seeing that lighting bug tonight was such a sweet reminder that summer is a time for a break, to make memories and have fun whether or not my to do list gets crossed off.