summer is:

somehow, i still get astonished at leaves changing color. people in school. cool mornings. pumpkin spice lattes. how can it be that summer is actually over? yet the reality that september itself is practically over keeps slapping me in the face. ready or not, here comes fall!

summer was a crazy blur.
one of my friends laughed at me for saying "i have been busy. but i am not entirely sure what all i have been doing." it's been road trips and weddings and flights and reunions and family and friends and routine and swapping work schedules and building relationships and quality time with teenagers and camping and hikes and goodbyes.
it's been good. but crazy.

if someone were to ask me what my definition of summer is it would sound a little like this:

it's nights still too warm. a breeze on my bare arms. river wading. stars, lots of stars.
it's the sway of the hammock and reading by christmas lights on the back patio.
it's long walks and talks and blisters.

it's frozen moments of stuffy warm rooms and guitars and too loud amps and highschool boy bands

it's a pick up game of basket ball at the park with new friends and nasty vitamin water and not enough baller skillz.

it's saying hello to the stray cat that is yowling outside my car every night.

it's the seat belt burning hot from sitting in the sun too long.

it's sand on the seats and wet swimming suits.

it's a sunburned neck and fresh scrapes on my legs that are signs of a triumphant hike.

it's iced coffee and lounging at the coffee shop til they close and then talking on the sidewalk for the next hour.

it's road trips with the windows down and music blaring.

it's sneezing in the morning because the fires are close again.

it's the neighbor kid's squirt guns by the front door and almost tripping over the skateboard.

it's sunday afternoon naps with the adopted niecey.

it's the ivebeencampingfortwodaysandihaven'tshowered look.

it's the gamble of how much longer you can drive your car without actually running out of gas in the middle of town.
it's skype dates and phone calls and a lot of "i miss you"'s .
it's laughing at a lot of stupid things.
it's learning about what grace and love look like when you are actually out there with people in real life.
it's wearing out songs and artists who slowly become tied to the memories of this time.
it's sunday nights in the park with my church family while we rehearse the gospel and talk about the blessings.
it's a whole lot of life that's hard to put into words.
but it's good.
and i love it.

and i am not so sure i'm ready to be done with it.