Ok last night we got this grand idea that we should go fishing.  Yes, last night, remember... the rainy, cold night? 

My husband planned on going when he got home from work.  So, as we tend to be pretty stubborn people, he got home around 5:30pm and it was pouring and starting to get dark.  Did this deter us from our plans?  No. 

We packed all four kids in the car and all the fishing poles with the tackle boxes (this in itself is a feat).  My four year old was so excited to fish- she was just beaming. 

First, we need to stop and get bait.

Finally, arriving at our fishing spot.... around 7 (which just so happens to be the kid's bedtime). Yes, it is getting dark- but we being the stubborn sort are not detered.

After all the poles are untangled and the bait put on every pole, I am trying to keep the nine month old happy.  He finishes the bottle, and then procedes to take the fishing pole from my two year old.  At this point, the bait is on the ground, being dragged from right to left, never reaching the water.

As the two little ones start to fade and the whining ensues, my four year old catches a fish.  She is so excited and comes bounding up and down the shore telling everyone SHE caught a fish!

At about 7:30pm, I pack the little ones into the car and turn on fm 107.1.  I am listening to Cooper, hoping that they will go to sleep soon, and maybe my husband will be done fishing.

My five year old comes to the car and hops in.  She is asleep in 5 minutes. 

The rain does not deter my four year old, however.  She wants to "stay with Daddy and fish". 

I head home with three of the kids, and leave my husband and her to fish for another hour. 

She catches another fish (from what I hear it was a monster).  How is it that she has that golden touch?  It seems that this happens most of the times we go out to fish- she catches the biggest, or the most...

They arrive home sometime around 9.  He carries her in and I set her in bed. 

A good fishing day, yet exhausting, wet and cold.

Will this deter us from going fishing in the future? Probrobly not, and we are planning a Thursday outing as well.

When was the last time you got the opportunity to inspire wonder in your children?  Did you take it?

The other day I was cleaning up after dinner.  My two year old was finishing eating at the table and my 9 month old having a grand old time throwing food on the floor.  The five and four year old were helping clear the table and chattering to each other about several topics.

Then the golden moment happened

The oldest said to her sister, you need to exercise your arm like this so your bones stay strong. The youngest piped in, no you need to drink milk to make your bones strong so they don’t break.  The oldest: I have a boy in my class that has a broken arm.  What does it look like?  He has a cast on it.

Then as they looked at each other with a frown on their face, trying to understand the intricacies of the body-they started to turn-oh yes they are going to-Yes here it come--my opportunity.

Mom, why did the boy in my class have a cast on his arm?

Mom, why does your arm not fall off when it’s broken?

How many bones do I have?

Is there bones here?

How does our food not get all over our bones when we eat?

Where is my heart?

Is there blood all over our bones because our heart squirts on them?

As I fielded all these questions and more, I took advantage of their curiosity.

I suggested that we go to the library and find some “body” books to explore. 

As we got to the library the excitement grew.  My oldest (5) asked the librarian where some good body books were.  My four year old explained she wanted to see a heart. 

As we located about ten books appropriate for their use, I packed all the kids up and we headed home.  The excitement was palpable in the car.  They were looking forward to sitting down and discovering all their little minds could think up.

When we got home, they began to pour over the pictures of the skeletons, hearts and digestive system. 

Their wonder at the amazing body was more than enough to leave me with the satisfaction that their love of learning will continue.  I will still answer many more questions and we did not delve nearly as deep as possible, but their interest is peaked and I intend to use every opportunity.

To all the parents out there- take the opportunities when they are presented to you.

What have you done to inspire your kids lately?

When did you last enjoy the rain?

Is it just an inconvenience?  Messing up some Saturday plans?

No, when did you last just stand in the rain, close your eyes, and let it fall on your face.  Listen to the sound it makes as it fills a puddle or hits the sidewalk.  The smell of rain, fresh- green (if green was a scent- it is definitely connected with the rain).

Have you ever breated in the life that rain brings?

Rain is so healing and so relaxing.  Isn't it wonderful to curl up with a good book in a warm blanket on the patio while the rain falls outside?

 Oh how I love the rain- yet I rarely take advantage of it.  Why does the rain get such a bad wrap? Is it because I am simply too busy to enjoy it?

I love the fall: the colors, the cold, the change, and the leaves.  It is one of my favorite times of year, but then again there are leaves- and lots of them.

It has been said... "cut the grass short and all the leaves will blow on your neighbor's lawn"  Well guess what... I am that neighbor.

I cut my grass once a week, keep obstacles out of the yard, and my grass is cut the shortest of all my neighbors.  Yet, here I am with all the leaves of my neighborhood congregating on my lawn.

Do I send out invitations for all the leaves to come and camp on my lawn?  NO!

Do I allow this leaf party to continue for very long? No!

Yet the leaves don't seem to get the picture. All my neighbors have leaf-free lawns, and here I am with the piles and piles.  So the next time you see me- the one with your leaves. Take pity on me!  For I will be out next week cleaning your leaves off my lawn.

How is it that we forget so easily the joys of childhood?  The wind rustling through leaves on the trees. The feel of the grass between your toes and the sun on your head.  When did ti become odd to appreciate swinging with your stomach on the swing and feeling your arms and legs fly through the air, lightly brushing against the sand?

Yesterday I realized that my daughter (my oldest) is starting her school career in kindergarten.  Her indekpendance exemplified by her school schedule.  Mixed emotions cloud my mind as she embarks on her educational career.  Sometimes I am sad because she is ending her toddler-hood and those special times during the day that we could talk and play will be no more.  Sometimes the happy knowledge that she is prepared to start this exciting journey.

This brings me back to my mourning the loss of my own innocence.  The loss of my joy for summer days and a world filled with magical possibilities.

I tried to grab that joy back a little yesterday.  I laid a blanket out on the grass, in the heat of the sun.  My two oldest daughters laid out on the blanket to enjoy summer as it comes to an end.  We closed our eyes and talked about the sounds, feelings and smells of summer.  As I lay there enjoying the sun on my face- I remembered what excitement summer held as a child.  I wanted to hold onto it, bottle it, keep that feeling of freedom close to my heart. 

Alas I returned to my adult world, but may I remember what summer and innocence means as I mourn my baby becoming a big girl.