Days at Home

I'm guilty of rushed parenting. In today's connected world, I think we probably all are. We rush our kids from one activity to the next. We sign our 2-year-olds up for preschools. Or even crazier, we create and teach those preschools. Swim classes, museum trips, afternoons at the park, and on and on. 

I'm totally guilty of it all.

But each week I have just one day where I can't force myself to go anywhere. Even if I really need to go somewhere, "Ready to go to the grocery store buddy?" I ask Reid on these days

"No, just stay home mommy," Reid replies as he climbs onto the couch to do absolutely nothing.

"You don't want to go play with the recycling truck at the store?"I ask, convinced this will win him over.

"No mommy. Just stay home. Play toys at home," and by now he's won me over. We aren't going anywhere today. We're just going to stay home.

I'll just lay in the shade of my maple tree and watch my kids grow. I'll literally watch them growing.

And I'll love it. I'll love it more than the library story hours, more than the playdates at friends houses, more than the errands ... definitely more than the errands. I'll love it because I'm simply enjoying my children. Not their activities. Not the fun ways I try to enrich their lives. I'm just enjoying the fascinating ways they grow.

 The whole process is truly a miracle.

 They put a lot of work into their growing.

 Bumps and bruises, sweat and tears, and smiles and laughter.

 And it goes by way too fast.

 Especially when we don't take time to watch the little steps along the way.

 The whole process of growing.

I'm in love with our simple days spent at home.