Summer Movie Night

It was such a mild summer this year and as it comes to a close and fall nears, I'm trying not to be sad, which is typical for me as summer ends, but this one is the toughest so far.  For one, it could've been a little warmer for more enjoyable beach play, but otherwise, it really was beautiful weather.  The change in season, also highlights the many changes happening in our family with the new school year.  Tate off to college, Hadley off to middle school, Imogen a fourth grader, and Rafferty off to kindergarten.  It's too much, really.  These milestones are biguns' and I'm finding it harder than I ever imagined to embrace them.  These kids don't stop growing and changing.  Tatumn leaving reminded me just how short our time with our kids really is.  It was so hard to see her go.  I miss her every second of every day.  Rafferty going to kindergarten almost took a backseat for me.  He's across the street, cursing at me probably, and muttering to himself, "I hate school."  Yeah, he hasn't taken to it yet.  He says, "Mom, I'm too busy to go to school."  He's not.  He needs school.  He needs to get used to the concept.  He's a young kindergartener, poor thing.  Heck, he may never love school and that's okay.  I'll keep listening to his complaints and trying to encourage him. But, yeah, these kids are getting so big and it's hard to watch, but lovely, too. I love my family so much.

The pictures are from one night that I dragged the whole clan to summer movie night featuring the first movie from my earliest memory, E.T.  Armed with candy and free popcorn, it was a beautiful night, albeit a bit cool (typical for this summer).  We live in such a great community and I'm so thankful for it, too.