Full Steam Ahead
The end of summer always brings with it a whirlwind of emotions and activities. For most people, it's a time to start enjoying the last few lazy days by the pool or to take in a few more sunsets before the cooler winds of autumn begin to blow. But for us, the end of summer is anything but calm. In fact, it's our busiest time of the year.
August and September are our rodeo season’s peak—those final weeks where everything ramps up just as school is starting. It’s like life is moving at a breakneck speed, but we are still adding in all the new beginnings that fall brings. In the midst of all this chaos, I’ve learned to find gratitude in the crazy, to embrace the beauty of new beginnings while still holding on to the last golden days of summer.
It’s easy to feel like everything is piling up, or even like it’s all falling apart. But I’ve realized that it’s not falling apart at all; it’s just incredibly full—full of fun, full of life, full of those precious moments that make everything worth it.
I want to finish this summer hard.
I want to soak up every last bit of sunshine, every outdoor movie night, every impromptu gathering with friends over root beer floats. Our boys are growing up so fast, and every summer feels like a rare, fleeting gift. I love the quality time, the warm rays of the sun, the feel of tanned skin, the thrill of a thunderstorm rolling in. I don’t want to give any of it up. It makes me teary thinking about how few summers we really get with our kids before they’re grown. So yes, while I’m excited for fall and the routine it brings, I’m holding on tightly to these last beautiful moments of summer.
There’s a comfort in routine, joy in getting back into the rhythm of homeschooling, of learning together in a different way. I’m excited to dive back into our lessons, our co-ops, and our activities. It’s a different kind of quality time with the boys, one that I cherish just as much as our summer adventures.
But with all this excitement comes a whole lot of busy.
Just the other day, someone said to me, “I bet you need a reset after rodeo season.” And they were right—I do. But I’ve learned the importance of resetting before the season starts, so I don’t feel completely overwhelmed when everything is in full swing. It’s made such a difference, and I’m grateful for the years of growth to see that. Now, even though life is busier than ever, I feel like I’m reminding my myself to handle it with a little more grace, a little more ease.
Still, there’s no denying that it’s a lot. And Cory feels it too—he’s been busier at work. It feels like we’re constantly swiveling. That’s what I call it. It’s not a pivot, it’s more of a swivel. Moving from one task to the next, changing plans to make it all work. Even in the middle of the night, life has a way of keeping us on our toes. Whether it’s Cory getting called out to work at 2 AM or helping a neighbor in a crisis at midnight, there’s always something. But you know what?
I wouldn’t change it.
There’s a delicate balance between feeling full and feeling overwhelmed. Yes, we’re busy, yes, life is a lot right now. But it’s a good kind of busy. It’s the kind of full that makes you stop and think, “Is this real? Is life really this good?” Because even in the chaos, even in the sleepless nights and the constant motion,
life is so, so good.
So as we wrap up this summer and dive headfirst into fall, I’m grateful. Grateful for the memories we’ve made, grateful for the new beginnings on the horizon, and grateful for this beautiful, wild, busy life we’re living. It’s a lot, but it’s ours, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
