I missed our usual Me and Mine post last month. I’d forgotten to take a family photo and by the time I remembered towards the end of July, I’d missed the opportunity as my husband was working away on an event. This month, we’ve managed to take a couple of different family photos. One during our holiday in the Lake District, while visiting the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction and then another spontaneous photo one morning later in the month.
I love the spontaneous one. Sophie wanted a ride on Daddy’s shoulders one morning, so Thomas asked to ride on mine. As I went to take a quick selfie, hubby grabbed Jessica’s cushion so we could include her in the photo. I love how it almost looks like she’s there with us rather than us holding a photo.
Another summer is drawing to a close. As usual, it feels like it has flown by all too quickly. We’ve certainly made the most of our time together over the summer holidays. I’ve always loved having this time with the children and this summer has felt especially precious as it’s the last one before Thomas goes to school. My days as a mum of pre-school-age children are coming to an end. For eleven years, I’ve had at least one child at home for part of the week at least and now our time together will just be evenings, weekends and school holidays. That sleep-deprived era of nappy changes, potty training and needing to take a baby buggy on days out is over.
September always brings with it a sense of sadness. Sadness that another summer is over, that time is passing by so quickly, that this lovely period of long days of quality time with my children is ending once more. I’ve always mourned the end of summer, but it comes with an extra helping of grief these days. The reminder that time is moving on and while Sophie and Thomas are growing up and moving on to new things, Jessica is not.
The start of the new school year falls on Jessica’s eleventh birthday, although she is forever frozen in time; forever six. It’s going to be a very emotional day.
But for the next few days, I’ll do my best to push aside the September sadness and continue to make the most of the time we have left in the holidays. Reminding myself that it’s been a summer filled with love, that we’ve done so many fun things and made a lot of happy memories together. I can’t slow time, or do anything to bring Jessica back, but I can hold on to all the beautiful memories we have and do my best to make new ones that Jessica is part of too.
