Summer's Here

And so Summer vacation begins........you know how when you're on a roller coaster and you're slowly going up anticipating the big, fast drop that is coming once you reach the top? Well, that's how these past few weeks have felt.
We've dealt with the celebration of our first pets, and dealt with death way too soon. See "D's" new fish were doing well until I noticed every now and then Pinche would snip at the fish with that big white claw of his. I kept telling myself "the pet store said they were compatible" but really I thought that crab's gonna get one of them! Well, we had our last three day weekend before school was over, we went to my Birthday Buddies house for a BBQ with some other friends. All of our kids swam, ran around and played, and even got to watch a movie outside as us parents talked, toasted with champagne to summer beginning (really my Birthday buddy had just received her teaching credentials), and just had a great time laughing and enjoying the evening.
We got home pretty late that night, everyone was exhausted, I was cleaning up a little before heading to bed and checked on the fish, I noticed Pinche had his big white claw out, it was snapping as it moved side to side. I thought to myself he's going to get one of the fish, but I had to tell myself again it's not suppose to hurt them.
So off to bed I went, morning happened as usual, we did our normal Sunday morning things, Mom Jr. stayed at our friends the night before and got home in the afternoon. Everyone fell asleep for an afternoon nap, I got up to get a cup and just happened to look at the fish. And that's when I noticed Pinche had Nacho pinched in his big white claw!! I yelled over to Hubby "come here, hurry!!" He came over as well as Jr. they immediately got the fish net and made Pinche release Nacho but it was too late, Nacho was pretty much gone. My poor "D", how was I going to tell him? There he lay, taking a nap, pictures crossed through my mind of him being so happy with his little goldfish with the black stripe. The smile he had as he brought it over to me finally being chosen, one of the few to get to take home a fish from his 1st grade class. How was I going to tell him? I called my Mom who was equally upset and had to call the pet shop to complain about what had happened. Meanwhile "D" starts to wake up a little from his nap and I try to explain in the nicest, easiest way to him what had happened. He looks at me like he kind of gets it but isn't exactly sure he's believing what I am saying....until Jr. decides to interfere and just put it out there "Dude, Pinche killed Nacho!! He's dead, he killed him, he had him in his big claw".
My mouth just dropped, I could not believe he just bluntly put it out there. "D" turned and looked at me with his big eyes now starting to get watery. I could feel his pain, I could feel my eyes now starting to do the same. Hubby jumped in and got on Jr. for being insensitive (which he really didn't know he was doing) I continued to try and talk to "D". I told him we could take Pinche back and he could choose some other fish instead. He said okay, Hubby kept trying to tell him "that's just nature D". I told him it was okay to be sad for his fishy. Grandma came and picked him up as well as Pinche. She asked him if he wanted to hold it as they drove to the pet store but "D" just shook his head, he didn't want to be near it at all.
They came back with different fish, and well, all was well with them except eventually one started to look ill. Luckily, "D" and I read up on the fish over the Internet and knew what different signs meant.
Today the fish that he has are doing fine, he dealt well with what happened to Nacho but has no desire to ever have a crab. He did ask me what happened to Nacho. I just kind of skipped over that question, I just couldn't say "Well D he went to see the porcelain gods, swirled down and plopped in". "J" saw the whole thing, he even told Daddy "me no like crab, me like fishies, get crab out!!" "J" did say Daddy took Nacho to batroom and put him in potty, but I don't think "D" heard him.
The last week of school came in a rush and went out just the same. We had market day where the kids got to spend money they earned on things the 6th graders put together to sell. They had field day where they did different sport activities and then they got to have lunch with the parents that came, and on the last day there was a 6th grade graduation and the end of the year teacher dance.
It brought tears to my eyes, yes because the year had ended, my babies were now moving a grade up, they're getting older and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. They drive me crazy, they make me laugh, they make me cry, let's face it sometimes they make me feel like I can't do it another day but, of course I continue, they continue, and we move on.
They're happy for summer, I'm cautiously happy as I'm just not sure what this summer will hold, every summer is different.
Boys got their hair cut short, Mom Jr. got a trim. We enjoyed our last Sunday before their actual summer vacation begins swimming, playing games, and bbqing.
Here's to a new summer with new surprises, hot sunny days, swimming in the morning, going to the fair, laughing with friends, enjoying cold watermelon, frozen cherries, plums, peaches, ice cream, nice evenings, fireworks............celebrate your summer with your kids, friends, and family so that it'll be a summer our children will remember as the time they wish would've lasted forever.
Just a Mom beginning Summer with all her babies..........