Learning from a boy's joy...

Sunday was going to be my "day of rest."  I think we had something to do every day all week and for once I was going to listen to God and take it easy.  After 3 hours of "taking it easy" God intervened and had a friend call me.  "Do you guys want to go to the playground?"  I asked the kids and I think they were in the car before I could get an answer.  Apparntly I can't take it easy very well, and they were done with my antics. We had a great morning at the park and I thought "now I'm going to go home and rest."  The phone ringing in my pocket jolted me from my thoughts of rest and it was my beloved husband on his way home from work. "Do you think we could go to the beach?" Did I say rest? I immediately in my head went to that place I was talking about last post.  You know, that place where mom has to assume the worst.  I could hear the kids arguing in the backseat, the fighting over sand toys, the constant mom, mom, mom....  upon hearing all of this in my head I say "sure, we can do that!  What time do you want to go?"  Once again I was proved very wrong.  The car ride was quiet with Michael fast asleep and Emily listening to music. The beach was empty and the weather was great. 

 The best part was watching my son.  He is a boy that knows how to live life.  He put his toes in the water and his face lit up.  The water, very cold, did not scare him away. He proceeded to practice his "wave jumping" assuring me that he would stay "mostly dry."  Needless to say, he was drenched.  I have never seen such joy in a child at the beach.

It is a game for him, with the waves. How high can he jump, how many in a row? Ocasionally he would come to see his sister playing with her polly pockets but ended up knee deep back in the waves attempting to stay "mostly dry." 

He knew mom wanted him to stay dry, and his assurances although false, were his attempt to keep mom happy while having "too much fun!"  Lucky for him, but more lucky for the car, I brought clothes.  Lots of them. He was very happy to put on his sweatpants and sweatshirt for the ride home, and I was happy to be able to let go just enough to let a boy play in the ocean fully clothed in late September.  When we hold our kids back because it is more work for us, we take away a little peice of their joy.  I am trying, one "wave jump" at a time, to let them be happy instead of trying to prevent them from being unhappy.....