Another column of: Another Gray Hair.A few days ago I bundled up my boys in their coats, hats and gloves and sent them into the backyard to play. They needed to run & I needed a break from them.
It has been getting nicer ever so slowly. I am too impatient for the spring to come - when will it be here? What did the groundhog & his shadow say about the spring - why do I even listen to or think that he can really calculate the actual coming of spring?
On one of my many trips outside to check on my boys, stop them from fighting, rescuing one or two from climbing to high or kissing an “owie” - I discovered something! Or one of my boys discovered it and pointed it out to me - my bulbs were beginning to grow.
There they were, little growths beginning to peek through the earth. I immediately began lecturing and questioning my boys.
“These are Mama’s flowers,” I said. “Do we step on Mama’s flowers?”
“No,” came the reply from Noah with his head shaking back and forth. His brothers watched him and began to do the same.
“Do we touch Mama’s flowers?” I asked.
“No,” they all chimed in this time with the head movements again - all looking at each other and back at me.
“Do we pick Mama’s flowers?”
“No.”
“Good boys!” I said with glee.
While examining them and the ground all around I saw many breaking through and other places that looked like many are still to come. This spot is protected on three sides and is always the first to bloom of my garden. They have often bloomed and gone before my front yard even begins the same process.
“What kinds are they Mom?” Noah asks.
“Daffodils and tulips,” I explain.
“Which ones are your favorite?” Kade asks.
“Daffodils are Mama’s favorite.”
I began peaceful thoughts of what spring & summer mean to my family. I can send my boys out to run, play, climb and be themselves while I can either enjoy the outdoors myself, finish a few chores inside, or even work on the love of my life - scrapbooking.
I envisioned mud pies, bugs caught, three baths a day for my boys, being so tired that naps occasionally take place - for both boys & Mom alike and water almost constantly running from the outside hose.
I can look outside and all three will be just fine, then - just seconds later - all are naked playing in a mud hole they just made.
I can hear them through the screen door and faintly hear one calling for Mom with an edge to his voice. After checking I find him in a tree with branches about to break - just in time for a rescue.
I have watched Noah climb the wood pile, walk along the top edge of the wooden fence - all to go play with a friend on the other side. Boys are great!
I saw a photo once of three brothers, all young, with their pants around their ankles, in a row, peeing in unison. A mother of girls would be horrified. A mother of boys just laughs and wonders how long it will be until she see the same from her boys. I just hope I have the camera handy!
