I decided to take the week off of work because I needed it. It's nice that I could.
We didn't take the week off of school, though. One of the things I wanted most was to give my attention more fully to them and their studies. It proved to be just what we all needed.
And it happened that on Tuesday (my normal away-from-home workday) we had the best weather of the whole week. We took the opportunity to be together in our backyard.
We spread blankets and read for awhile. But before long C started doing somersaults.
She came back to the blanket for a rest and said, "I love days like this." I couldn't have agreed more.
(these are our self-timer shots)
Pretty soon I was asked to show them how to do a cartwheel again. I've not succeeded in teaching them before. I wasn't sure I should do one. Last time I pulled a muscle in my leg. But I went for it. It was just that sort of a day.
So we did cartwheels. They certainly did more cartwheels than me. We laughed at our falls and they kept going and going like little energizer bunnies. The next day they woke up sore.
I love their energy, their determination, and their laughter. They keep me young.
This is one of the reasons John and I wanted to have a family shortly after we married. We wanted to have the energy and stamina to enjoy them -- to play tag and hide and seek with them, to do cartwheels and somersaults in the backyard. (Well, I guess John doesn't do this last one.) :)
Starting so young meant sacrifice too. We've had to raise them on a shoestring budget.
But as we all know -- money doesn't matter. Sometimes we think it does, but it doesn't really.
And whether we have plenty or barely enough, we can still do cartwheels in the backyard.
