summer holiday

We're all going on a summer holiday
no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
no more worries for me or you,
for a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly
we're going where the sea is blue.
we've all seen it on the movies,
now let's see if it's true.

Everybody has a summer holiday
doin' things they always wanted to
So we're going on a summer holiday,
to make our dreams come true
for me and you.
for me and you.

Lyrics courtesy of Cliff Richards. As children in England we would sing this changing “work” to “school”…but English school children don’t start their summer holiday until the end of July and go back beginning of September. Imagine my brother and I’s delight when we moved to California and discovered we were released to summer vacation in early June (and my parents’ dismay)!!

Marissa is on cloud nine now that summer vacation is upon us. Every morning there is a different variation of her unique summer vacation song, and this grin that splits her face and makes her eyes sparkle is ever present.

She likes “school” – she only goes three days a week, mornings only, yet something innate seemed to kick in with the announcement of the advent of summer vacation and the end of school for a season. Her exuberance for life has only been heightened by this release to freedom. Everything is cause for celebration – going for a walk, the shining sun, the time to have picnics, not rush to get dressed, summer projects – right now as I write this she is busy at play (I wrote this a few days ago) – I’ve offered to play, I have projects awaiting her attention, but she is more than content to busy herself with pretend play. There is a steady stream of chatter from her as she directs the ‘Little People” and creates vivid stories – the ‘Little People' are going on a trip – the airplane needed fixing – everything is plotted and thought out, yet the story flows with ease.

My job has always been much more than a job – if my eyes and ears are open I learn something each and every day I’m with Marissa and Michael.

The simple pleasure of enjoying life – of expressing enthusiasm for life, of walking with exuberance unable to stop that slight skip, and certainly never able to stop that song . We do each have a song to sing, if only we embraced that freedom and sang it aloud, or at the very least loud enough for God to hear it.

So here’s to summer vacation and all things summery!! (Besides this is my last summer as a non married woman, 80 days -- I even have Guillaume tracking the days)!!!