This is Alpha, the first-born, when he was 2YO.
This is Beta, the second-born, when he was about 2YO.
This is Gamma, the third-born, when he was about 18MO.
Summer Evening
Aug
18
2008
We had nothing scheduled for this evening, so we decided to do some things in the yard. First was to plant some mums that we had bought recently. We didn’t really plant them – we left the mums in their pots but set the pots down in the dirt a little. That was somewhat for better curb appeal but more to keep the wind from knocking over the pots.
Next was to water the vegetable garden and the potted flowers. That’s an easy job – the kids are eager to volunteer. “Who wants the hose?” I ask, and they come running. The hard part is making sure they take turns and don’t drown some plants while ignoring others.
Then, since the hose was out and running, the kids asked if we could get out the sprinkler. I thought that would be a fine way to keep them outside, so I got the sprinkler. It’s the type that spins, but they don’t like it to spin. Once it was setup, they started pulling plastic toys out of the shed. They also pulled out the lawn chair. I think it was meant to hold their towels, but I commandeered it so I could sit and read the issue of the Inspire that came today.
It was quite peaceful – the kids had found the T-ball set and placed it right next to the sprinkler and were playing waterball. There were no bugs, particularly mosquitoes. I don’t know whether that was because of the slight breeze or because I had sprayed for them last week. I was thinking “This is what summer is supposed to be.”
Then I noticed some dark pick-up truck stop on the side of the road, just after our driveway. A couple of people came around the side of the truck and started moving things in the bed. I figured they just had to adjust their freight. Then some more people appeared. I saw the freight, and it was a cooler. The local high school cross-country team was on a training run, and they decided to place their water break right in front of our house.
That’s when I realized that summer was officially closing. Cross-country camp, football starting across the nation, planting mums – they all add to equal the start of fall. All good things, but summer needs to last a little longer.
“You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.”
– Psalm 74:17
August 18th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
WOOOOOO FOOTBALL!!!