Summer Days

I lay in bed as the sun streams through the window.  I turn and roll over and look at the clock, almost 8:00.  I smile satisfied.  I slowly get out of bed and wander downstairs.

There all three of my kids are watching a movie together, eating breakfast.  "I helped Ryder get his breakfast" my daughter tells me.

Fast-forward the day.

Lunch is done, I just finished cleaning the dishes.  I hear laughter coming from the living room.  The kids have gathered all of the old Fisher Price villages to create a "factory", they are capturing the people and turning them into chocolate.

Should this game worry me, I wonder for a brief second.

I smile and retreat back to the other room.  Grabbing my computer and checking a few e-mails.  Then I grab one of my logic puzzle books and begin a puzzle.

I cross off clues, figuring out which house Vicky lives in.

I smile.  I don't feel the least bit of guilt, the house is clean- well clean-ish, there is that load of laundry in the washer.  The kids are not all in front of a screen, well at least not for the moment; if they ask to watch a show I'll say yes.

They are playing, each other's friends, each other's playmates.

This is why you have more than one kid.  It is these moments that make all the sleepless nights, the hours of driving, making food, caring for each child in every way imaginable.

These moments when they are off playing together and I suddenly have more time than I know what to do with.

These moments are perfect.

Dang it- they're fighting now.

But hey, it's good while it lasts.