Play on a sunny afternoon

My, today was a busy but happy day.  I write this the old-fashioned way (to be later transposed to the digital world) as we settle down for a meal at Jaelyn's favorite restaurant.  It was a physically demanding day after a hard workout last night.  I find myself holding down the fort while the boys are away camping, and frankly, I'm out of gas and feeling a little overwhelmed with all that needs to be done in the coming week.  Apples to be dried and cooked and canned and juiced, tomatoes to be canned, fresh wholesome farm veggies to be cooked up, garlic to be planted, garden boxes to be worked, leaves to be raked...oh my!

Today though, I had a couple of blissful hours where it was just Astrin and me.  Try as I might, she was determined I wouldn't get any work done.  The little bit of raking I did was quickly trampled through, kicked, scooped up, and tossed all around.  She insisted on helping me trim the grass around our garden boxes, which I eventually gave up on.  Finally, she pushed me to the ground, shrieking, "Fall down, Mama!"  What could I do but oblige her request?  So, fall down I did.  And she landed on top of me, full of kisses and giggles and squirminess.  I enjoyed the warm sun on my face, the cool earth beneath me, the surreal joy that comes from staring up at a cloudless blue sky, and my happy little one.  I know I relaxed during that little bit of time we had together.  I am very grateful for the gifts my children share with me, especially the ones they don't even know they've given.  I'm sure they see the difference in how I see the world almost instantly.

And what to do with that long list?  After all, it's not going to get done by itself.  And it likely won't get done with just my two hands either.  I'm thinking of sharing the list and asking for helpers for the tasks, and then schedule them onto the calendar, just like any other activity.  And I'll need to be content that what doesn't get done simply won't get done and let it go.  We've done our best and that is all we can do.