Love Who You Love

Let love give what it gives. Show love, be love, give love.

Memorial Day weekend was all about this and it was one of the best weekends I have had in a long, long while. Who did I spend it with? The majority of it was spent with the kids. We chased dogs around the neighborhood, we picked weeds, went to the plant store and picked out flowers, we dug the holes, planted the flowers, and watered them. Shortly after I swept up the mess and used the leaf blower to clear the sidewalk, we each grabbed a popsicle and sat at the top of the driveway and looked at the new, beautiful front garden. It was a beautiful moment. Just the three of us, proud of our accomplishments.

Tony helped me mow the lawn, gather the branches for the bonfire and shop for the s'mores fixings. Paige set up the lawn chairs around the bonfire pit, figured out a couple games we could play before cooking the s'mores and thought up a couple of ghost stories. At one point, I overheard Tony saying to Paige, "This has been hard work. We're making Mommy proud." And Paige's answer was, "It sure is. Help me get these chairs apart." And Tony said, "Okay Paigey."

The entire weekend was like this. We worked hard together, enjoyed our time, and when I required that they nap or rest, they abided by my wishes. After the nap on Friday afternoon, Paige stretched her arms high into the air and said, "Ah, refreshing!" I laughed and said, "I told you so."

Yesterday was supposed to be our quiet, restful day. When I got invited to a party at a friend's house, I was a bit reluctant to go because I knew the kids had played hard all weekend and I was waiting for the meltdown. I packed them into the truck, figuring I'd leave in an hour or so. At the party, they played together, they played with the other kids, they said please and thank-you, they hugged me, and all I heard was, "You're kids are so well-behaved." Ha! But they were.

It was because of all the love. We were sweating it, talking it, showing it, being it and giving it.

Ah, refreshing!