I rushed home last night to take my daughter to her swimming lessons and as luck would have it they cancelled the lessons due to weather! No worries, I quickly redirected and organized more activities. When we got home from the no lesson event, the kids had sat down during the day and made a list of “what I want to do this summer”.
I was amazed when I looked at my daughters list. She has grown so much since that first day of kindergarten. Although some words were misspelled, she did a fabulous job. I began to read her list out loud and found myself emotional at the little things that she wanted to do. Here are just a few: ride her bick (bike), swim in the pool, play with her cats, wach (watch) her lizards (lizards), and go to the beech (beach). What held me for a moment was that every other “wish list” item was “spend time with momy(mommy)” and “love momy (mommy)”. 
My sons list followed the same pattern of activities that he normally entertains himself with. I also have to point out that his handwriting gets smaller and smaller and smaller each year. I felt even more humbled as I worked my way through his list. His list included: riding his bike, going to Monticello, swimming in the pool, watch car racing, and playing video games. He too included fillers of “spend time with mom”, “have friends over”, and “relax”. 
As I sat on my porch last night watching the storm pass through, I started thinking about the “list”. Their lists were simple to accomplish and my mother is ready to conquer and check off all the fun activities. My only thought…I won’t be able to enjoy being a part of most of them. For one moment, I started to feel sorry for myself and them….but then I stopped and realized what the list really meant. Most of the activities were followed by a “love mommy” or “spend time with mommy”. I realized that the list was full of fillers to occupy their time until we were together. They weren’t big plans, just simple daily activities that they know they can conquer when they are not with me. I get it and it is time that I realize that “they get it”.
I continued to sit and watch the lightning and listened to the “boom” of thunder and began making my list. The list of what I want to conquer this summer. I began to laugh and smile as I wrote out all the things that we will do from 6PM until 9PM on Monday through Friday…and the entire day for Saturday and Sunday. I even put in some funny ones that will send my children “at least my son” into a complete tirade.
As with everything, I thought I would share the list in hopes that you too will build a list of ventures for your summer. So, here is a “wish list” for a single mother of 2:
1. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
2. Successfully attend my daughters swimming lessons
3. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
4. Teach my daughter to ride her bike without training wheels
5. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
6. Organize Saturday play dates for my children
7. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
8. Organize and successfully have our yearly Minute to Win It Family event
9. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
10. Take time to play video games with my son
11. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
12. Take my son on the trail for a bike ride
13. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
14. Buy and successfully launch fireworks
15. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
16. Go Kart racing
17. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
18. Go to the beach
19. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
20. Practice multiplication table with my son
21. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
22. Read a book with my daughter
23. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
24. Writing lessons with my son
25. Spend time with my children in the “backyard”
So, there you have it! In Keeping it REAL, it is not about the cost of the venture, but the time spent together. I hope that I can accomplish all of my sons, my daughters, and my “wish lists for the summer of 2011”. After all…It all begins and ends in the “backyard”. And my suggestion for the day, MAKE A LIST…. You can always add to the list….but being a single parent brings chaos and if you don’t..the summer will be over and you will feel as if you accomplished nothing...Happy Hump Day and may you live, laugh, and venture out of the norm this week!
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