Simple Pleasures

I am such a lucky mama.

After Kristi left, the heat wave hit. As I dragged the wading pool out of the shed I started dreaming, once again, of having a big back yard pool that we could really swim in. I started dreaming of the beach vacation that isn't happening this year. I resigned myself to spending summer days in the itty bitty pool in the hot, humid back yard. Sigh.

and then I saw the excitement in my girls faces as they watched their little pool fill with water. I declared it a "Back Yard Beach Day" and saw the excitement build even more. We drug out tons of beach towels and spread them all over the yard. Loaded their picnic table with bowls of fruit, cold drinks, peanut butter sandwiches, chips and packages of cookies. Lathered on the suntan lotion. Found the radio and turned on oldies music. Brought out books for the girls and put them on the shade towel, and chose one of the books that Chelle had sent me for the summer (The Beach House, I believe it was! Thanks Chelle!)

The girls played and played in their pool and I got to read my summer fiction. Heaven. They took breaks and ate, we read their books and we had a beautiful day. and then it hit me. That day was a gift. This may be our only summer that all our girls are young enough to still love their little pool, yet all old enough to play for hours and love what they're doing. It may not be so simple next summer. It may not be so simple a week from now.

So for now, I choose to spend each hot sunny day in the back yard with my blessings, and I choose to thank God for the gift of simple pleasures this summer.