Saturday morning tends to start this way lately: sometime between 6:30-7:00 Thomas and Arthur both arrive with loud voices announcing their presence by jumping into our bed with their sleeping animals in tow. We have a love/not like so much relationship with this new routine. We both try our best to tell them to lay quietly with us and not talk so loud – we’re just shaking off our sleep too. It’s sweet though. They want to be with us and us with them. We cuddle and try to keep resting until it’s apparent no one is actually going back to sleep.
About this time Tom heads to the kitchen for his pancake making + coffee in the French press. And off to follow him are two little boys that sometimes help cook and sometimes just talk and play. I’ve come to love this part of our weekend. I’m not a regular coffee drinker, but I’ve taken to the French press. Now if only we had time to make it every morning.
This particular Saturday we plan to get some tomato plants planted in the backyard. We’re still rather new to the gardening thing. This is our third spring to plant anything. Last year we took a hiatus with a newborn. We’ve had some success with some things we’ve planted and not so much with others. This year we’re just sticking to tomatoes and hoping for them to turn out well. There’s nothing better than a fresh, home-grown, summer tomato.
So earlier in the week we loaded up and headed to Home Depot and got the supplies we needed for our adventure. We’ve come to know that projects with the kids require doing things in stages. One. Step. At. A. Time.
After breakfast we were able to get our hands dirty and start the planting process. They love this so much! They love working with their shovels and hands in the dirt. Just the way little boys should. John Lloyd watched from the nearby swing!
We took a little break and it was time to get ready for Thomas’s baseball game. I was excited about this for many reasons. First, I didn’t get to go at all last year. Again, a newborn. And this was the first of the few games that was scheduled at a time we could all go because it didn’t interfere with the baby’s nap, so we all got to go together.
It was a joy to watch! My mother-in-law standing beside me mentions how many memories it brings back to watch him. Right now, standing in the outfield, long legs, toes pointed out, he looks like a miniature version of Tom.
I watch him hit, make it to first base, and stand with hands on hips, one foot propped on the bag, hair curling up from the base of his helmet – a little boy, slowly becoming a bigger boy. Right now I would love to freeze time. Being out there watching is Fun. It’s simple. It’s community.
We wrap up the afternoon with some naps and once we all get going again, start dinner. It’s hard to put into words the simplicity of days like this. We strive to have more Saturdays loving the slow time just like this one.
