Tom Sawyer's Fence

Things have felt challenging lately.  The kids keep fighting.  I keep losing my cool.  Jon's been sick.  Inesa's been sick.  Work is overwhelming, the house is a mess, there are repair jobs undone, the cars need to go through DEQ and we have a birthday party to plan. 

Then there are days like today.  I get home to a quiet house.  I hear voices outside.  While I put away yesterday's dinner dishes, which the Dishes Fairy washed while I was at work, I see the kids and Jon weeding.  They are soon joined by our five-year-old neighbor, Inesa's buddy from kindergarten.  The three kids dash back and forth between the weedy yard and the piles they are making on the deck.  I peek out the window at two small girls tugging determinedly at a patch of grass under the apple trees.  Jon calls out, "There's a big bunch of weeds over here!" and all three kids tear across the yard to him.  Inesa throws open the door and announces it's a contest, boys against girls, to see who gets the bigger pile. 

I "make" dinner.  Jon made a huge batch of lentil soup yesterday, so I heat that up for us, and microwave burritos for the kids.  I make a green salad and a fruit salad.  When I announce dinner, they all want to know who won and gets a prize.  I wrap up two brownies for the neighbor, spotting a ribbon (on the floor...don't judge) to pretty it up.  We eat dinner, and as Jon slips away to watch the game (me: "What sport?"...don't judge that either), the kids ask what their prize is.  In a moment of brilliance, I reply, "Well, you didn't have to help make dinner, and you won't have to help do the dishes."  I am declared their favorite mom (which actually is a little weird, seeing as how they do have another mom to compare me to), hugs all around.

Since dinner prep was so simple, we're done by 7:00.  In a rare move, I grant permission to go back outside to play with the neighbors for a half hour.  Sasha joins forces with the 3rd grade girl, and they kick a soccer ball around.  Inesa dashes over to her buddy's house, and they play on the trampoline.  Nobody's feelings are hurt.  Nobody is competing for attention.  There are about three dishes to wash--the knife, cutting board, and ladle--and I get time to reflect on how gosh-darn pleasant this evening is.  In a few minutes I'll call them in, Inesa will start getting ready for bed while Sasha does his homework, we'll have a little dessert, then the nighttime routine will kick in. 

Easy.

Happy.

Connected.