Mama Said There'll Be Days Like This

Today was full of everything. Except for the pictures to prove it. But it's alright; I'll explain later.

It got off to a frustrating, tear-filled start, but began to get much better as the kids and I drove out to a town even smaller than ours for some fabric shopping. On the way home, our CD of the primary songs for this year came up, and right in the middle of "My Eternal Family" Charlotte said, "Mom, I'm going to be strong and righteous and kind, and help out so that you don't have to do it alone." If you're a parent, you know just exactly how that made me feel.

In the afternoon, I skipped the grocery shopping in favor of filling up the pool and letting the kids run around the yard with the little neighbor girl (who came knocking at the door just as I was about to pack the kids in the car and drag them to the grocery store). They also had an impromptu tea party, complete with ginger cookies. Can I tell you how much I love tea parties? It's just such a natural environment for teaching civility. Like today as the teapot was being wrestled over, it was the perfect opportunity for the words "Having tea is all about serving one another; here, let me show you. Would you like another cup?" to escape my lips.

I set my sewing machine up on the picnic table and worked on Calvin's quilt upgrade (he's grown out from under his baby quilt - thank goodness it's summertime!)

We had popcorn, watermelon and smoothies for dinner al fresco. Just as we were cleaning up, Modest Mouse's "Float On" came on the radio and we danced around like maniacs while we cleared the table.

So many times I wished I'd had a camera today (I sent the "good one" with Robert, who was off on an adventure). And then it occurred to me, that while it's nice to have pictures to look at later, to remind us of days like this, it's more important to actually have more days like this - I hope we have so many that they'll be etched into my children's memories far more profoundly than any picture could express.