A sports fan, for 2 good reasons

It is no secret summer is my least favorite time of year, primarily because it is when Declan leaves for his visit with his mother, but also because I am a wuss when it comes to 100 degree weather.

Considering it is typically fairly easy for me to find the positive in any given scenario, a trait I wouldn't trade for anything, I have spent an inordinate amount of time mulling over all the "benefits" of my summer freedom. The fact that I get a multiple-week break from my little tasmanian devil each summer shouldn't be something that I struggle with seeing the bright-side of, but it is.

For starters, the end of the school year immediately means a break from the morning madness and a guaranteed end to whatever streak of consecutive tardy days Declan and I have racked up at his school. I say "Declan and I" because it is without a doubt a team effort. Some days I hit the snooze button way too many times and other days he gets sidetracked while brushing his teeth, way too many times.

I found it "cute as can be" when he stopped in the middle of basketball practice, to stare wide-eyed at the YMCA gymnasium ceiling fan. However, counting the wall tiles in our bathroom, with prepped toothbrush in-hand following three conversations about needing to hurry and get our teeth brushed so we weren't late, just wasn't funny at the time.

Having quality time with my daughter is without a doubt the bright spot of my summers. Sadly, she only has a couple of school years left and she is far too good of a student to hope for a delayed graduation.

The older she gets the busier she seems too, which often makes scheduling our summers together difficult. I might see the various basketball and volleyball camps as an infringement on my summer freedom, were I not banking on our common love of sports to keep us in touch as she grows into an adult and eventually begins chasing after a tasmanian devil of her own. We are both fiercely loyal Lakers fans and no matter what is going on in either of our lives, hopefully, we will continue to always have the NBA season to talk about.

I will attempt to relish the next few days with Declan before we head to Colorado this weekend to begin his summer adventure with his mother. I will likely be saddened when he returns in the fall a few inches taller, initially seeing it as a reminder of time we spent apart. Eventually though, I will be grateful for the growth spurt and even hopeful that he experiences many more of them before he nears the end of his school years. After all, height can be a serious advantage for a basketball player.