evening.

clay shows his joy so much sometimes that

his eyes disappear & just about every tooth can be seen.

he really is in love with life.

i am, too.

all 5 of us girls lined  up on the swings.

i gave anika a little push before bianca & i hopped on together.

ellie swings on her belly while chloe pumps back & forth like a pro.

we swing & laugh....hair blowing....bianca holding tight with giggles.

soon, anika needs another push & i happily slow us down to help her.

even though i outwardly cheer their self-pumping, 

i never want it to come too fast.

never ever.

bianca & i walk hand-in-hand to see the biggest girls playing tennis with matt.

they can volley back & forth a few times and

soon, they run over a sweaty mess to sit by my side in the clovers.

we search for the longest stems & knot them together.

[clover.clover.clover]

we talk about nana & papaw coming for a visit,

why squirrels like acorns,

what kind of ice cream we'll choose at the parlor tomorrow

[peach, superman, fat elvis & kitty kitty bang bang]

and

if the young couple kissing under the willow is married.

we circle the clover chain around heads

as we soak up the last daylight.

our lives are not perfect.  our moments certainly aren't.

but, i do think it is these things they will remember.

these things that they can store up, along with truth, in their hearts.

so that, no matter what, it is remembered how blessed our life is...

and how very much responsibility comes with that.

i have been given much, much, much.

there is much expected from that.