Back to School Bugging Me

Ahh the back to school rush begins! Much like the Christmas rush, every year I seem to start a mental countdown a few weeks before the first day of school. Even when it was just pre-school for Kolby, my mind would naturally calculate how many days of summer were left. 

In the "shopping days left until Christmas" countdown (all days seem to be shopping days in this day and age so why do we still say that?) we measure how much time is left to get the cards out, get the presents bought and wrapped, make the party/program rounds, do the  "meaningful-thing-to-teach-the-kids-the-true-meaning-of-Christmas" things, take pictures with Santa, catch a live nativity, and  bake sweet things.  The "days until school starts" count down seems to bring on a less furious, but still substantial, list of things we just have to do.

It is a time to hurry up and get all those summer projects finished up, take those trips we have been meaning to take, and visit all those fun places like the water park, the zoo, the amusement park and the lake before we are back to the daily grind. It is a time to clean out closets and brace for the fall. Time to shop for school supplies and school clothes.  It is the time to batten down the hatches and get ready for another year of school, soccer, dance, birthday parties, reunions, games, retreats, holidays... So much to prepare for!

Do you feel it? Has it hit you yet?

Well today Rhett reminded me that in my rush to get ready for life, I seem to forget to stop and enjoy it! I was off to get Kolby  to Mothers Day Out so I could accomplish a list of stops and errands a mile long. I was trying to get the bags packed and the sacks of things to drop here and take back there in the car. I was yelling "Come on guys, the days a wasting!" as I tried to herd everyone into the Van. Garage door up, Van in reverse, I check in the kiddy mirror (hooked to the rearview mirror) and realize Rhett was not in the van!

Frustrated, I put it in park and ran back into the house to find my youngest. Couldn't find him. Looked all over. Panic struck. Started yelling for him. Grabbed the phone to call not sure who when, I spotted him out the kitchen windows. I ran out the back door and there he was 15 feet away laying on his back in the middle of the yard, hand behind his head, sunglasses on, just a chillin'. "Rhett what are you doing? We are in the van about to go!" I yell hoping he'll pop up and run in..
No answer.  Oh my gosh...Is he dead? (told you I am a tad dramatic!) I ran over and started to scoop him up.
"NOOOO Mama, the laaaddddy bug!"
Seems a lady bug was crawling on the stomach of his shirt and he didn't want to disturb her.
"Rhett we have to go. I've got lots to do today."
"No mama I not go. I got lots of bugs to watch today."
Hard to argue with that. 

I decided to do a little less than planned, take deep breaths, walk slowly and speak softly... after all there is only so much summer left to enjoy! I hope in the midst of your own back to school rush, you are able to take time to watch the bugs! God bless!