Summer is Fleeting

The summer is quickly coming to a close. Pretty soon the children that were constantly under foot are going to be gone all day long. It is a hard balance, especially this particular summer being cramped in a small apartment, trying to keep the older kids happy and the younger ones entertained. When I remember this summer I am afraid the apartment life will overshadow the fun times we had earlier in the summer.

It seems to have gone by a little too fast, yet a little too slow all at the same time. Everyone has grown so much this summer, especially Evelyn who everyday seems to be maturing faster and faster. She is caught between the pretend play and the grown up older girls. It is hard to see my little E.V. forgoing games of the past calling them "baby games." I once thought I would love the extra help as she got older but instead of enjoying the help, I find myself really missing the times when I got to watch her play.

I love this picture of her in one of her carefree moments, lost to everything around her, wrapped up in her imagination. I have found myself wondering lately what happened to the little girl who wore dress up clothes until they fell apart, who refused to take off her butterfly wings even to sleep, whose imagination was so viivid anyone could be pulled into her games. I want to hold this memory of the playful little girl close to me forever. Enjoy the final carefree days of summer!