52 Weeks of 52: Week 17

May 20, 2020
Week 17

Ahhhh summer break 

I used to experience a period of

settling in

sleeping in

reading books

reorganizing spaces

anticipated coffee dates

long leisurely lunches

and weeks of traveling to visit family

As the girls have grown 

and my job has changed 

so have my summers.

I remember every summer

up until about 8 years ago

I would make a list

Not like one you'd see 

in a journal

on a desk

posted by your bed

or prominently hung on the fridge

But one the size of a poster board

I'd split the paper into four quadrants

and the girls and I would each write our own

"Goals for the Summer"
in one of the squares
We would cross of goals as they were met
or even sometimes alter them
to be more realistic

The goals varied from year to year

but included everything 

from trying new recipes

menu planning

learning to ride a bike
practicing a new skill
exercising

reading goals 

or should I say...

parent induced reading goals

A favorite memory was Ellie
one summer, determined to meet

her 3 goal minimum requirement wrote:

1. Have as many friends over as possible.
2. Spend time with friends.
3. Play board games

In fact, that may have been the last time
I tried using the large family poster

for summer goal setting purposes.

My last four summers have been filled

with goals centered around
finishing a degree
reading
writing and
research

to catch up on past due assignments

or to cram in as many classes as possible
Thank the Lord that is done!

I decided today that it is time
to resurrect the large list
and hang it prominently for me to see
I am going to be intentional about what I include
I am going to be precise about what I will decide to accomplish
I might even take a cue from Ellie and
include some socializing
(6 feet distance of course)
I think after these 8 weeks of
uncertainty
crazy and
non-structured busy-ness
I may need
a list to help keep me grounded....
I wonder how many I can accomplish poolside.