Life Lessons Learned This Summer

 

I know the summer season is not over yet, but whenever I have to start thinking about school clothes and school supplies, it’s all downhill for me.  I’m not sad about it though, because there are a number of things still to look forward to.  A few more fun weekend day trips and an island vacation to celebrate my husband’s 40^th birthday are coming up and I couldn’t be more excited!

Still, as I reflect on the summer so far, I’ve come to realize a few things – a few life lessons, if you will.

Letting the kids stay up past their bedtime isn’t always a bad thing.

Though I’m always ready to decompress by 8:30pm, it’s also really important not to shun every bit of quality time I can get with my children.  My daughter is at the age where she thinks staying up “late” is the most amazing thing in the world.  She & I sometimes hang out in my bed and read, watch YouTube videos or the Disney channel.  And you can normally find my son climbing on my husband like he’s a jungle gym.  So if they don’t get in bed until 9:30, that extra hour of connected time is definitely worth it.

Family vacations are really important.

Taking a family of 5 on vacation can be really pricey and a lot less relaxing than it sounds.  While my husband and I make sure to plan a getaway with each other at least once a year, making time for some family downtime is crucial.  We got away for the weekend by visiting Ocean City, MD.  The kids loved staying in a hotel with a pool, my oldest loved the seafood buffets, and my son could not get enough of the waves.  I actually really enjoyed myself, too, because they had some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen on the east coast.  This mini-vacation did us all really well, so much so that I’m actually planning a week-long return trip next summer.

The sun is one of God’s greatest creations.

Being in the sun is like food for my soul.  Corny but true.  I just feel so much more relaxed and at ease when the days are longer and warmer.  It helps me step back from the never-ending to-do list and enjoy the weather.  Whether that’s by actually taking the dog for a walk, lounging on the beach, harvesting tomatoes from the garden, or eating dinner al fresco on the deck, slowing down can be a really good thing.

Some of the best creative ideas are born in the stillness.

With the more relaxed vibe of summer days, I’m allowed to reflect on the life I live, the life I want to create, and what makes me happiest.  That reflection, in turn, has spawned some great ideas for the future of my businesses and how they factor into this life of ours.  I’ve decided to actively grow the family business and get a plan into action so that my husband can quit his full-time job.  God willing, we can make that happen in early 2016.  I’ve also decided to spin my fledgling interior design business into a company that not only offers design services, but also focuses on bringing amazing handmade goods to the marketplace.  I’m bursting with excitement about that one!  I’m working with smaller vendors to source products for the shop and sourcing awesome handmade textiles from around the world.  Though I have an abundance of ideas regarding the products I’ll be offering, this slower pace of summer reminds me to take things one step at a time and enjoy the ride.

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