Simple Things

As I struggle to find a quiet moment to post a thought, I'm reminded that the things I mean to do are often forgotten as other obligations press in and that proverbial road paved with good intentions is not where I want to be. Our family, as large as it is, often feels like a semi barreling down the road - the bigger we are, the faster we go. Such was the case last weekend.

Last Friday through Sunday was, quite possibly, the craziest weekend schedule our family has ever embarked on. Wade saw it coming and pretended he couldn't find his car keys. Finally, after our third meeting to plan who would go where and who would do what, he realized he could no longer avoid the inevitable. It started on Friday at 5:00 when our oldest, Audra, had to report to a local high school for Spike Fest. Spike Fest, it turns out, is an exciting team-building, two day Jr. High volleyball tournament for the players and a bottom-bruising, bleacher-sitting torture chamber for the families. 

To summarize the weekend ever so briefly, we had fifteen hours of Audra's volleyball tournament, Buck's tackle football game, Sierra's softball practice, Colton's two soccer games 60 miles from home, a birthday party and a fun afternoon of snack making for Sierra's Sunday night Bible study. On paper it may not look like a lot, but we were absolutely run ragged by Sunday night. I'm pretty sure that the fatigue I feel today is backlash from the weekend. 

It's after one of these hellacious, over-scheduled episodes that I'm grateful it was just an episode and not something that goes on very often. We are purposeful in raising well-rounded kids who are not over-scheduled. Each of our kids enjoys school, loves God, plays one sport at a time and each takes music lessons. It doesn't sound like a lot, but multiplied by four it's exponentially more than that. 

This week, I've especially enjoyed our downtime. Monday after school, we had absolutely no schedule. The boys came home from school, ran outside and immediately started filling water balloons, which in turn, they threw back and forth at each other. With the cooler weather, I was able to enjoy their squeals and giggles through the open windows. Briefly, when my husband found the youngest one, wearing nothing but his underwear, using a tennis racket as a drum stick on his barbecue grill, he redirected them and off they ran to shoot baskets. The girls played together on skateboards in the driveway, laughing as they did when they were toddlers playing hide and seek. While I made dinner, the boys took their golf clubs out back and gave each other lessons while the girls hit the volleyball back and forth. 

As we sat down for a home cooked family dinner together, we each gave thanks for so many blessings. Mostly, it's the simple things we cherish....family, unscheduled play time, dear friends and the beautiful weather that has finally found it's way to us. For all of our activities, obligations, games, practices, lessons and homework, we truly know that is the simple things in life that bring us the greatest joy.

With that, we are all looking forward to a totally unscheduled weekend without obligations. It's time for our family to retreat, relax, unwind and recharge. Three days to rest...I can't wait!