What a strange, strange summer

 I realized this morning as I laid beside a gorgeous pool watching Kim and Madison dive for rubber fish that I have never experienced a summer like the one we are having now.  First of all, Kim and I are unemployed.  We are at home together 24/7.  Sometimes this is a good thing and other times, not so much.  In the ten years we have shared our lives, we have never had this much time together to do whatever we want.  For the first summer in Maddie's life, she is at home with us every day rather than at day care or day camp. 


I have also never spent as much time in the pool as I have this summer.  Our neighborhood pool is nearly empty until noon every weekday so the three of us have a private oasis in the sweltering heat.  Maddie and Kim are there just about every day at 9 when the pool opens and I am with them as often as I can be.  Kim is swimming laps and Maddie's skills are increasing every day.  We love to dive for these rubber fish and have become quite competitive.  In my whole life, I have never tanned.  Okay, maybe once when I was three but who remembers that?  I have always burned to the point of near blisters and then turned lily white again after shedding 3-4 layers of skin.  But not this summer!  Apparently I am spending just the right amount of time in the sun, covered in sunscreen, to gradually acquire some color.  As she applied Water Babies 50 to my back this morning, Kim noted she has never seen me brown. Not even a little brown. 


Our time in the pool this morning truly felt like a vacation.  Maddie and I dared and double dog dared each other to jump off the side of the pool, rather than the traditional easy-does-it method I prefer.  We swam laps, dove for fish, floated, goofed off, and generally had a ball for almost an hour.  I spent the next hour laying by the pool reading the unbelievably good screen play written by my friend, neighbor, and writing buddy - Tiffany.  Eventually Kim and Maddie exited the pool and laid on chairs beside me. 


When I asked Maddie what the best part of her summer has been, she answered swimming and math (with her math tutor, BJ).  I could have fallen off of my chair!  Can you believe it?  We laid by the pool talking about the fun things we've done so far and the other things we still want to do.  Finally, the heat got to us and we jumped into the pool all over again and swam and played and goofed around.  What a fantastic day!


I have never been an athletic person, but I have discovered something about swimming.  When I swim, I am present.  My mind isn't racing with to-do lists or deadlines or ideas.  I am not thinking about anything but the water and my girls.  I am so thankful to discover such a positive activity that is helping me both physically and mentally.  It isn't easy for me to turn off the internal drive.  Swimming makes it possible, which makes me think what the hell am I going to do come September?


The other super duper unique aspect of this summer is that I have written a book.  How many people can say that?  I have worked on this project for 2 years and then decided to scrap it all and start over.  I finished the entire manuscript in 4 weeks.  The editing process is much longer.  Every day there are dozens of e-mails from my editor, Jane, and my contact at the publisher, Zac.  And I get so excited every time the party planner for the book launch calls or e-mails with a question.  My life is amazing!  I get to spend time every day with 2 of the people I love the most in this world,  I get to swim as often as I want, I get to write and now publish my book, and I get to create - a non profit, a website, a dream.

Thank you, God, for such rich blessings and amazing opportunities.  I will never ever forget the summer of 2010.