Strange Summer, Beautiful Summer

We had plans to go to our local state park lake beach today. We woke to a gray sky. And then it rained. And it was only 71 degrees when it was originally supposed to be 84 and sunny. We thought about it. We looked at the radar. We looked at the forecast. We figured we had a three hour window to play.

It was the best decision ever.

I love watching these two little boys become friends. Sure, they’re brothers. And I can tell you that they can fight just like brothers. If one dares to touch the other’s Buzz Lightyear, the screams could make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. (And, yes, we have two Buzzes. Two Woody dolls. Two Buzz costumes. I’m not silly.) But when they hold hands and squeal happily about the water? When I hear BigBrother yell, “LittleBrother, come play with me!” When I look at how LittleBrother looks at BigBrother? It’s all worth it. They’re brothers because of who their parents happen to be. They’re friends because they’re choosing not to beat each other silly at every last turn.

He’s not crying or in pain. He’s laughing. Because the water is just too much fun. He’s changed a lot as of late. It’s catching me off guard. He has lots of questions, lots of words that I didn’t know he knew. He’s got some attitude thrown in for good measure which my friends assure me accompanies the age of four. I don’t want to think about how he’s almost four and starting his second year of preschool and is just so… big. I want, instead, to listen to these laughs. I want these memories. I also want a lack of smart mouthing but my friends also assure me that I’m out of luck on that one. You win some, you lose some.

Such a different child, this one. What would cause tears from his older brother only serves to make this little guy laugh. He spent a large amount of time at the lake on his belly in the super shallow water, “fwim-ming,” as he says it. He scooched himself along the bottom of the lake, swimming as only he knew how. He loves the water. He loves a challenge. He also loved to lick the water. And, being my second child, I’m less worried about him ingesting lake water. It happens. He challenges me in ways that are different from how BigBrother challenges me. And I love him for it. I love them both for it. But where did my baby go? Why does he know the word “fwim-ming”? Why does he know how to say, “I. Do. It.” And, of course, at the top of his lungs? Where has the time gone?

We went with friends. And for that, I am glad. The boys had a blast. The girls had a blast. And I had a great time talking with my friend on our blanket. We took a chance, planning anything outdoors during this strange, strange summer. We didn’t really know if we would get our beach time in but we had to give it a chance. I’m so glad that we did. It’s been a strange summer with all of this weird weather.

But pictures, moments and days like these make me realize that it’s also been a beautiful summer. Indeed.