Do you remember as a kid the anticipation, the countdown that led to the anticipation of the last day of school? For the entire last week, focusing was impossible! The teacher’s words began to sound like the Charlie Brown teacher- “wha, wha, wha…” and because there was no A.C., all we wanted to do was stretch our arm out across the desk and rest our heads there and watch the ever-slow moving minute hand on the wall clock that hung high above the teacher’s desk, inch it’s way around until it eventually reached the time of dismissal. And then finally, yes, finally the last day of school arrived! The excitement of that day was so contagious we were all energized by it and the teachers all probably danced a jig after the last student left the building! Everyone loves the last day of school!
Excitement aside, there is a “worst” thing about the last day of school and for me personally as a kid it was always the fear of the unknown. What was going to happen the following year? Will any of my friends move? Will I? Will the new teacher be nice or a real shrew? All valid concerns, but it tended to rob some of the joy of celebrating the last day of school!
Today, from the viewpoint of a mom of four, the “worst” part about the last day of school held some of the same concerns for my children as I had for myself but there was also the knowledge that they had one more year behind them and their Senior year was always looming in the future like some dark cloud hovering just ahead on the horizon. See, I am not and never have been one of those moms who count down the days till my kids are out of the house. I cried and mourned when the older three graduated and went away to college. My youngest is still home, but just last night had her eighth grade promotion ceremony! So, (heavy sigh inserted here) once again this fall, her father and I will take her to the high school and do the tour and send her into ninth grade! Yikes! Trust me when I say if there was a way to slow down time, I would have done it long ago!!
So, now this leads us to the “best” thing about the last day of school and that is tomorrow! The first day of summer break! I always love our summer breaks and as a stay-at-home-mom, I get to enjoy all the wonderful things about our time off too. Like sleeping in! No more early morning, dragging out of bed, prying the eyes open before the sun even rises to fix lunches and breakfasts and rush the kids to the bus stop!
Summers ought to be filled with a lot of carefree days of kids playing outside, 
swimming and reading under a tree, bike rides, summer camps and lemonade! And parents, grand-parents or caregiver, don’t you want to do that too? Remember those good ole’ lazy, hazy summer days! Slow down, play with your kids if they’re younger. If they’re older, spend time sitting with them-just sit with them and do nothing. No phone, ipad or kindle, just sit. Look at them and remember this time. Store up the treasure of this time because one day you will blink and they will be away at college or moved out and married. You can’t get these days back, so treasure the moments! Enjoy your kids and enjoy your summer!
Psalm 103:15-16 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
Moments To Treasure 