Summer Traditions

Dear Moms,

We are nearing the finish line towards a year of fun-filled, memory-making, Mongan Family Traditions. The last but not least is Summertime Traditions. Summertime has a way of making every mother, jump for joy, while at the same time pulling her hair out one piece at a time. That is at least the moms I know. Wasn’t it Sarah Palin, the Republican running for Vice President that said, “Sometimes it is the joys that bring the challenges.” Never is that more true than when the last school bell is rung, and the last book bag is put away until school starts again the next year. Yes, summertime is a chance to grow as a family in all kinds of character, with a whole lot of characters that we call our offspring. I will write in some other blog posts an entire week on how to keep your “Sanity In the Summertime,” so keep on logging on to momsbestwisdom.com.

I do want to touch on two summer traditions. The first is, you guessed it, mom, the last day of school tradition. Of course, I line everyone up against that same wall in the great room in age order, just like the first day of school. Then I repeat the Kodak moment. This time, I get a smile out of everyone, especially the teenagers. Seniors in High School smile the biggest! Later on in the week, I compare the two photographs, the first day of school with the last day of school. We all see who grew and who didn’t. We see who got teeth and who lost teeth. We even see who got a new hairdo. Then, it is my turn to smile. I remember a year well lived. I remember no more carpools, no more homework to help with, no more book bags to locate, (and I thought finding pacifiers was hard) no more uniforms to launder, and most of all, no more six a.m. wake-up hour. I drive them to school for the last time, thinking to myself, let the summer begin, because I, for one, can’t wait. After school again, as tradition would have it, we all go out for well deserved ice cream to celebrate.

The other tradition that we celebrate as a family is, of course, the 4th of July. This is a special day to me because not only is it our Nation's birthday, and I’m glad to be an American, but also it is my old roommates birthday, Peggy. I’m indebted to Peggy for life because she introduced me to my husband, Patrick, making Peggy and I cousins. I always try to give Peggy a call and catch up. The 4th of July, at our home, is a casual cook-out. It is a day of relaxing and just enjoying each other. Of course we eat, we drink, and we are very merry, but you knew I was going to say that. We decorate the table in red, white and blue and all of us try to wear our patriotic colors as well. Sometimes, we even go to the pool as a family. It is nice to have one day a year to remember our Freedom. Never are we more aware of how much that Freedom cost us, then at a time like now, when our country is at war. I guess you can say, “FREEDOM ISN’T FREE.” I want to publicly thank all those military families who have given up so much in the name of Freedom, especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. “NO GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS BROTHER.” We are so proud of you, and we pray for our troops and their families.

I’m going to end on a Word to the Wise. Treasure the moment. It seems like you’ll never get your toddler out of diapers, and before you know it, you are walking your daughter down the aisle. Mom, I’m on my last Senior in High School this year. I had no one to line him up next to on the first day of school. We didn’t take the picture. Mom, take the picture! Make a Memory that will last a lifetime. Put on the song the Star Spangled Banner and march around the house as a family. Make a Memory and let the traditions live and be passed on generation after generation. Do them with all your heart. It’s a way to show your family that you care and that they count and that they are important to you!
AS ALWAYS,
ELLEN