Summer Fun!

Summer is my favorite season! I’m a summer child born in August; my sons were also born in summer (June and August) so it’s ONE BIG birthday party from June to August. But more than that, I realize it’s a season that passes by too quickly because I’m busy writing and getting ready for speaking in the fall. But I take a “breather” every once in a while and make myself go outside, workout at the pool (LA Fitness), and watch Jon’s baseball games.

This morning, I realized this is Jon’s last summer with us before he goes out into the BIG BAD WORLD of living on his own (and trying to figure out how to pay for school loans if he isn’t accepted into law school). Yikes!

Last week, we watched his baseball game with threatening thunderstorms.
I kept an eye on the ball and on the sky, wondering when it would break loose (but it didn’t…just got windy and dark).
Sitting on the bleachers in front of me was a precious gift: two little girls playing “slap.” The wind was furious, so they used rocks to hold down their miniature playing cards (it didn’t work too well!). I remember playing the same game with my sister when I was their age. I was so absorbed in their card game (and who was winning); I almost missed Jon’s homerun!
See what I mean…so many things to see and do!

Yesterday a church contacted me for a speaking engagement in the fall and wrote back: “We didn’t find anything about your family on your Web sites. Could you tell us more; we’d like to include it in our brochure!”

Isn’t that awful…my summer “babies” have all grown up and I guess the saying is true: “out of sight, out of mind.” But the truth is, I love my family, my boys and their girlfriends, and we do spend a lot of time with each other. So it threw me off a little bit when it appears that I don’t talk about them…so here’s an update:

Jer is dating Danielle (she is a school psychologist). Jer is finishing up his Masters this summer and will graduate in the fall. He teaches high school World Cultures (which only makes sense because he was raised in Sicily and had to grow up too fast). As with all firstborns, he was our “experiment” and we think he turned out quite nicely (considering we made ALL our mistakes on him!).

Jon is dating Kim (she’s going to York Penn State), and will graduate a year behind Jon. Kim is an equestrian and LOVES horses and LIFE. She and Jon have been dating for over a year now, and when Jon graduates in the spring of 2009 I will be expecting an announcement of some kind (come on guys…I need some grandchildren, but PLEASE get married first!). Jon recently got to hold Kim’s niece that was born last month and I laughed when Jon said, “I held ‘it’!” I’m sure he won’t be referring to his children as “it” (smile!).

Mark is improving daily…his physical therapy is a test of the wills. When the therapist says 10 reps; he does 20. I had the same physical therapist with my shoulder, so they are used to the “Pombo” determination. But more is not necessarily better; in fact, I realized yesterday after doing my pool therapy that I pushed myself too hard and today my ice bag is my constant companion.

Summer fun will soon give way to travel in the fall: I will fight the airport traffic, the delays, and learn to travel lighter (I bought a new stock of 3-ounce bottles). But until then…more baseball games, dinner “al fresco,” barbecues, and summer walks with my hubby!