Not Enough...

  "Look mother...Brady and me made this bouquet all by ourselves."
 My ear twitched a bit...as it always does when she calls me "mother" - I mean it is rather formal isn't it? But then when I saw their little creation...my heart twitched - it was just so perfect. I mean...i am their mom so perhaps I'm a little biased (not really...I call a spade a spade) but they did do a really good job - it has balance right? Then with the two little sprigs of wild sage poking out I think it's just beautiful. So, as usual in my Alyssa fashion - I had to take at least five pictures of the one arrangement. What is it about children, about us...that we are born with this desire to run to our mothers with flowers?

  Trinity and I had to go check on our garden. It isn't big...but it's our space. It's the only part of my backyard that feels like "me", that gives me pleasure. I feel like this one tractor tire full of dirt and tomatoes and flowers is like having a little piece of "me" in the middle of  a city - and every time I see it I know someday I will have more. But for now, if it's quiet enough and the weather is just right (cool and breezy, the sun setting and casting a golden glow on everything) I can face towards the fence and only see green and plants and bumble bees and the splintered wood and I feel like I'm somewhere else...somewhere calm and mine. For now I take joy that I can plant anywhere...in a pot in my kitchen, in a tire in the backyard of a rental. But someday, Zac says he will build me a lovely rock raised bed...that staggers. I believe him.

  We picked our pineapple mint tonight and talked about how wonderful mint is...the smell, the texture, the cooling taste. We talked about how wonderful it is for someone with a "sick" tummy, or to put a few drops of peppermint oil in a bath to feel refreshed. We talked about how awesome the Creator is to fill our earth with plants that we can use for healing...that we can just pop into our mouth and know it is good.

  My daughter will be a very self sufficient woman when she is older - this I already know. She already works hard, takes care of her room and loves to arrange and rearrange furniture (i have no idea where she get this from.). Often she will come to me and say "I watered your tomatoes this morning mom" and "need me to make your bed?"  She works with her hands...she serves others. Trinity Sky is my own personal blessing - she is my joy.

Go to the ant...
  Consider her ways and be wise
Which, having no captain,
   Overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer,
   And gathers her food in the harvest. 
- Proverbs 6:6-ll

  Then to end the day, water with lemon and our harvested mint....little hands reaching and pointing and a little mouth saying "watta " , so I give him a sip out of the "mommy glass" and he can't get enough.

   Then, the simple blessing of all of my kids getting along for at least a hour...playing together at the end of the day...Tristan overcoming his fear of being sprayed with water (he is terrified of being splashed and doesn't like the sound of sprinklers or the bathtub filling up...however he is obsessed with trickling water, it calms him.) And they play and they play and they play...and they can't get enough.

  Finn preferred standing next to me, gnawing on his pita bread - the peanut butter squishing between his fingers, him giggling at the antics of his brothers and sister running around the yard, shrieking and giggling in the cooling grass. His eyes were very focused and fascinated with the "big kid play"...and if he weren't so tired and hadn't given up his nap...he would have played too. You know how it goes with littles and play...they generally just can't get enough.

  And then, just before bed a quiet show...a cherished blanket wrapped around a perfectly chubby body, two growing feet and ten relaxed toes...

 ...and then the feet curl, the body's natural response to "i'm dang tired" and then the yawn...

 ...ahhhh, and the toes relax again and the head goes back and mama is convinced it's night night time.

But just before....

...Big brother wants to show off his toes too and his massively large feet. When the camera clicks he says "an I see it?" I repeat "anD I see it?" He smiles and nods, his eyes looking at my mouth...never my eyes...and he giggles at his long wrinkled feet. Oh my, and I just can't get enough.

I'm happy today for :
~ a little girl that delights in nature
~ a little boy playing in water and conquering fears
~ a son who when I started "1st grade review" so he would be ready for the 2nd grade books in a week...well, it was a waste of time - the kid knows MOST things. I declared him "ready."

I would love to see improved :
~ a potty trained Finn
~  Tristan being able to communicate
~ for Brady to "get" that crude isn't funny - it REALLY isn't and he thinks it's what people do when they want to make friends. Oh dear.