Creek Week

It's been a week at the creek.....

W's favorite past time this summer is throwing rocks in the water. It could be a puddle..a river..the ocean..a bucket..
I'm not at all exagerrating when I say that the very first thing he usually shouts in the morning is, "Rocks in the Water!!" I wake up to his face, all scrunched up with a smile, talking about his beloved rocks. You can imagine his joy when we spend time by the creek...

..I told you he'd be naked all summer...!

We played with many of our friends by the water this week, but today was our planned day trip to a nearby creek with the playschool children..

...Supplies for water play...

We found the greatest spot (complete with a mud hill...) under a huge bridge; giving us beautiful shade for the morning and afternoon...

MUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

..we made our way to a nearby garden..

We walked to the Historic Main St. in Bethlehem and found a Blacksmith demonstration in one of the historic structures.

I have to stop and say how wonderfully attached I am becoming to these children. In just this short Spring and Summer season, I feel that I have watched them grow into so many new talents, likes, dislikes, comfort zones, and physical abilities. Their creativity and imaginative play inspires and warms me like nothing else. I can only be so lucky to be a bystander; an outsider to this dream world. I don't dare enter. I don't belong. I can provide a (safe) environment, physical care, nutritious food, and carefully selected materials and playthings with a light hand...but I stop there.

I've learned so much about life through children.

I've discovered so much about myself.

Here I am, 4 years ago, at a catalog test.

(bear with me, there's a reason for this..)

Funny how the photos which usually "make it" are those which feature a model looking sullen, tired, or unhappy.

The above is no exception; it was my most popular photo.

But the banal expression of dissatisfaction was very real.

I wasn't unhappy at the time....but I wasn't complete.

Here's a photo of the children and I; in the exact same spot, almost 4 years later from the last photograph.

The photo is full of life an vigor...and I'm smiling. For sure.

It's amazing how the children we love, whether they are biologically ours or not, make us feel so totally whole and happy.

Summer is flying by...let us capture the moments and make them last:)