I feel bad for not being a more consistent blogger...or emailer, phone call returner or coffee date for that matter. It's amazing to me how true the adage "time flies when you're having fun" really is. The truth hurts when one realizes that time flies even when you're NOT having fun.

Earlier today I was asked to describe my summer in one word. I chose "scattered." Before I explain, please let me say this as a precursor: it's not necessarily a bad thing. I like that I get to describe my life as full, abundantly full, a thought which seems like it could be a whole blog post in itself! But I digress...

So why scattered?

I'm working for the City still, lifeguarding and instructing, but, due to the way the system works, have had to work at several pools and some pretty random shifts to get even close to enough hours in. But, like I said, it's not all bad. I'm enjoying the work and enjoying the people I meet. I'm absolutely loving teaching. I hope that lasts. A lot of the instructors I work with roll their eyes and cynically tell me "oh, wait till you've done it for as long as I have" when they hear me say it but I really do think it will last. I just enjoy teaching and enjoy working with the kids. Which, I think, bodes well since I've officially started work at Journey as the Children's Minister and am loving that too. Again, a great team and great challenges. Good stuff, just a lot of juggling. I'm starting to feel a little like a circus clown. Really.

Then, since it's summer, my favorite time of year, I've been trying to spend as much time doing summer things as I possibly can. Canoing. Hiking. BBQing. Photographing. Farmer's markets. Sunning myself at Sikome (aka lazing). Generally enjoying the summer. A tricky yet rewarding task when two days off in a row is a rarity but it can be done.

Then there's trying to keep up with family and friends. I feel a little guilty because I think I've been worse at keeping connected with people than I ever have been before. More than ever, too, I'm missing my family. It could be because there's stuff going on that i wish I could be around for - when isn't there stuff, really - or perhaps I'm just getting older and realized the value of them more all the time, especially when I spend so much time watching other families interact.

People talk about how restful summer is. Vacations. Time away. Time off work. The certainly wasn't how my summer was but I love it none the less. I love the warmth, the sun, the smells, the food, the thunder and lightning storms the heat brings, the activity, the birds, the outdoor activities, the slurpees...I could even love the bugs if they didn't bite me! I've tried to take as much advantage of it as I can. That said, this year, probably for the first time, I find myself looking forward to the fall and to settling into some sort of routine.

Is it weird that I'm looking forward to the fall to slow down the pace of life, a task typically left for the summer?

In the meantime, I'm off to juggle.