Out Of Nothing

leaves from the park

Today was a great day. Quintessential Autumn- beautiful, a little cold, a little warm, a just-right breeze. Breakfast at Panera, an extraordinarily fun trip to the thrift store, Story Time at the library (new books are a Wednesday staple), a quick trip to Target to get Grace a coat and some snacks for lunch, which we took to the park. And we ate slowly. Four courses of snacks. And then we played. And we savored it all. Because today was just right.

As we tackled the monkey bars and caught bugs and greedily soaked up the sun (because we know it's going to be nasty cold tomorrow) my kids left a new impression on me. I've thought it before, but it's never hit me like today. Minutes after we started playing, Grace found a quiet spot under a slide, with a bar just right for sitting and studying her newest lady bug perched on her finger. "Mommy, look! It's a chair!" And it was. Ten minutes later, Lily discovered it. "Hudson come here! An ice cream store!" And, with it's window shape, it was. She spent several minutes making us tasty treats with wood chips from the ground. Some had chocolate syrup, some were strawberry, all were good- and friendly to the waistline.

They each moved on. Played with other things. And I was left just newly amazed at their ability to smoothly, naturally, enthusiastically make something out of nothing.