Today was a day I’m thankful I don’t send my kids to school everyday. (The oldest 3 just go on Mondays.) The school year is winding down, so there were class parties that needed treats prepared for, teacher gifts to remember, and the regular making of lunches, nagging to get shoes on, and feeding and clothing the littlest boys in order to get in the car and to school on time. I am not a person that thrives on busy-ness and, quite frankly, getting 5 kids ready to get in the car is not my favorite thing to do. Believe it or not, these little people all have minds of their own, and as much as I’d like them to immediately follow my every command when we’re trying to get out the door and somewhere ON TIME, they don’t. By the time I had got them to school I was tired out for the day– but I had one appointment after another ahead of me.
And so Hunter and Ian and I were go, go, go until the big kids got home. Then it was driving to karate, picking up from karate, Dad working late, wrestling matches in the family room gone awry (with at least 3 kids screaming like they were dying at one time), trying to figure out something for dinner, and feeling unsettled by the whirlwind of papers and toys and pillows and blankets strewn about the house.
I thought– there are people that do this every day– that have every minute scheduled, rushing from school to lesson to appointment to hectic meal where there is no real time together because those brief moments are spent hurriedly trying to get things done so you can all move on to the next thing. And then I was overcome with gratitude for this path that I’m on where, for more days than not, we can go at our own pace, be intimately familiar with each other, and the kids can draw and draw and draw and read and read and read. I thought of these pictures of Hunter
who can spend all the time he wants intensely making his 2 year old “space men” and “lightnings”, who every minute has big brothers who draw with him and for him
and with their big brother magic (and some paper and tape) turn him into a “lightning space man”.
I’m thankful for all the unscheduled time to just be, to be real, to be really together.
I’m thankful for time to breathe.
Exactly!!! I could NOT do the whole public school thing…I would lose my ever-lovin’ mind with all the deadlines, time-constraints and what-not.
I love you so much. Thanks for sharing. This is exactly what Rachael was talking about in her comment to your LA post.
Hunter is SO cute intently drawing!!!
By the way, I see “Beyonders” on the side here. I saw it at Costco a few weeks ago… thought about it for Brenna or Jonah’s birthday, but figured you would get it. Do they like it? I look forward to reading it when I come in August.
I agree with you about not having a tight schedule – next weeks begins summer break and I’m ready for that! 😀
Oh yes! I have recently thought the same thing…I am looking forward to having a care free summer..I purposely said “NO!” to any summer sports this year. We have scout camps, and a state park pass to go to the ocean. A clean lake this year. So for now I’m putting through each day and trying to breathe when I can. I do agree it is something to be able to say “hummm.. what are we to do today” You do a great job Jess, just do what you do and what comes to your mind each time you are able to get to Blog, we love to see whats going on in the Croker household.