may they always be so close

Almost all of the stress I've incurred from dealing with my family this past week, has been offset by spending time with our children at home.

Oh sure, I went a little nuts when they used Dry Erase markers to write on the walls. And when they peeled open the bedspread from their doll house and pulled apart all of the foam, inside. And when they went through an entire 10-oz bottle of hand soap in an afternoon. And when they climbed in to the cupboards, confiscated and ate an entire bag of miniature marshmallows at 5:30 AM.

But for the most part, I have loved having them home with me.

It's like I know what life is like when they are off in school all day and I'm not ready for that just yet. There has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, not having to get them up and dressed and fed and washed and lunches packed and out of the house every morning by 8:30 AM. And did I ever mention that I counted the traffic lights on the way to school and although it was only a seven-mile drive, there were 26 traffic lights?

Consider that for a moment.

In one day - I would drive through 104 lights just dropping off and picking the children up from school. And the vast majority of the time, I would hit at least 50% of them when they were red.

This afternoon, I took everyone to the park. And while I stood watching our children climbing up and going down the slide, I kept thinking, "This is the way siblings are supposed to help each other."


This is the way they are supposed to support one another.


This is how they should always stick together.


This is the way it's supposed to be.


Although I don't know if it would be quite as cute if they fell to the ground in this kind of embrace when they were in their 40's.



They warm my heart, completely.