What I Learned While Not Having The Best Summer Ever

Well it definitely was NOT the best summer ever. It wasn't even close. I'm trying to think of a few days, or even parts of days that were really really good and am having a hard time coming up with more than just two or three. If someone had told me a few months ago what the summer held in store, I would have laughed (nervously) at the idea of so many things being piled on all at once. But, as Forrest Gump said, "You never know what you're gonna get," and while I didn't know what I was gonna get, I did manage to pick up a few lessons from the summer vacation that officially ends tonight:

• Knees are delicate objects and do not enjoy being pulled apart in strange directions. They heal slowly and can manage to screw up all kinds of other body parts while they do.
• What may seem to be the most well constructed hose under a relatively new sink can burst suddenly with no provocation or warning and create the most unbelievable chaos in its wake.
  
• Not all friendly contractors are your friend.
• Celebrating your birthday at a restaurant with your three children, no matter how much you love them, does not make for a relaxing evening and
• One table with three children can make significantly more noise than another with four, five, or more. Who the hell can count with that screeching in my ear?
• My favorite relaxation DVD is immensely more effective if I turn on the DVD player and actually go through the routines.
  
• No matter what, it's always a good day at the beach.
• It doesn't matter how old you get, you still need your mom and dad.
  
• Even the most stubborn four year old can be taught to swim.
• Scrapbooking really is therapy. My therapist told me.
  
• Not all home inspectors inspect for asbestos. It is a good idea to verify this before signing closing papers.
  
• Going out to eat gets really old, really fast.
• Certain four year old boys think nothing of dropping their pants and showing off their tushie at the public library, say, or at a nice-ish restaurant because their mother hasn't been humiliated enough yet.
  
• Of all the cute things babies do, talking is the cutest.
  
• I need to spend more time in my unconscious, whatever that means.
  
• Soccer camp is fun! Especially when there are cute coaches with cute British accents! It's fun for the kids too.
  
• Depression and anxiety are very real things with emotional and physical symptoms that can leave you reeling. Luckily, there is all sorts of help and relief out there when you start looking for it.
  
• I am blessed to be surrounded by a network of friends, family and others who I've learned I can depend on for so much. While learning to accept others' help is difficult, it's a wonderful feeling to know that I have my own, strong, personal parachute that keeps me aloft and prevents me from falling too far.