Singin' in the Rain

There's been a good amount of rain lately. Not so much to make things flood, but enough to give the grass that beautiful deep green that only comes from binge drinking. It means we have to mow again, but I'll take walking perpetual lines in my yard over brown and dreary any day.

Late last week, after driving home through a torrential downpour, we parked the van in the garage and the kids literally refused to go inside. When they were younger, they would inch their way into a situation like this. At first they would beg to watch the rain, then they would ask to get an umbrella and walk around the yard, then they would tentatively stretch their hands out to catch a few drops (watching me to see if I noticed their deviance). Finally, they would look at me with their puppy dog eyes and beg to run around. The umbrella would be relegated to the grass and they would test the water, so to speak.

This day was different. Maybe they've changed...grown a bit. Maybe they've just begun to understand my parenting style a little more and know that sometimes it's best just to ask for the whole cake, instead of one piece at a time. Not sure, honestly. But they leapt out of that van and surrounded me, jittery in their excitement. 

"Mom, can we?"

They dove right in. 

No small steps, just a plunge. 

Outright, into the glory of the weather.

Soaking the rain down into their little souls

Dancing without abandon as cars drove by...

Thunder and lightening drove them inside for a while. One pile of wet clothing in the laundry room, three dry children with fresh digs. 

And then the thunder stopped.

Round 2.

Less water, more earth, but whatever.

I suppose you can't be picky when you're that awesome...

Like I said.  Awesome.

If I were one to write memes, this one would say:

"We don't always get this messy. But when we do, we make sure mom will have to wash our clothing three times to get all the mud out. And we'll leave it all by the back door, because we couldn't possibly carry it any further after having so much fun."

But I'll take it. Because someday -when their children are begging them to play in the rain- they'll remember that I let them do it. In that moment of nostalgic weakness, they'll say yes to their precious kids...and that pile of wet clothing will be their reward. *maniacal laugh*