Hold It Tight

We really tried to squeeze every drop of life out of this summer that we could. Just 2 days in, we sped down to Edisto. We saw you learn something new and fall in love with that place all over again.

You took whatever we dished out this summer. In the car, out of the car, here, there, home, gone, up, down, go to bed, put it on, take it off, be still, run wild. You took it all. You took it in. You drank it up.

You are a stronger swimmer this summer. Your dives are much straighter. You touched the bottom of the pool a lot more.

Your mind is much sharper and the games you came up with are far more interesting and include complex dynamics and characters. The characters seem to come from somewhere - they have a background. The "Daddy" always seems to sleep late and inevitably turns into the "Puppy". The "Mommy" spends a lot of time making supper but then always leaves the playroom to go with her "Sister" somewhere.

We soaked in every minute of the sun that we could. The heat is a part of the memory. Seeing the sweaty little heads and smelling the grass are just different colors within the masterpiece.

The end brought Arizona. A trip of firsts. A first plane trip for Lil'. A first hike for Big. A first trip to see the West. The beautiful West. Well spent time with Grandma and Grandpa and cousins and aunts and uncles.

It has gone by in a sudden whishhh and gone away much quicker than it came. The summer you were 6 and 3 is all boxed up and put away, but we're gonna remember it. We're gonna hold on to it and hold it tight.