Hot and Cold

I love summer. As a kid, it meant no school and swimming whenever we wanted. As a parent, that hasn't changed much. I've enjoyed the kids being out of school so much that I'm anxious and worried about school starting again. And I enjoyed being at the pool every day for the last month to watch my kids play in the water and swim like I did when I was young.

I don't know how many times I've said since moving north (whether Boston or Seattle) that it's the Georgia heat that I don't miss. The cool, dry summers of Seattle can't be beat, can they? However, today when I asked Joel what he missed most from our Georgia summer trip, he said the heat, and I realized that I have been missing the point. The heat is the necessary element that makes that first splash into the water so refreshing and every moment thereafter all about not wanting to be away from the water. Because it's so hot, we are always wearing our swimsuits and are ready to jump in the nearest pool of cool relief. Water is so much fun and relaxing! Whether we're in a pool, waterslide, ocean, or river, we're wet, cool, and having fun!

At 37, I'm just starting to get why my love of swimming runs so deep. I'm a little jealous that Joel gets it at 8.