Dancing in the Mine Field

The last 4 months have been filled with so many mixed emotions.  The road that I have been plunked upon is filled with mountains, pebbles, brooks and mine fields.  The last thing I want is my kids to go back to school and tell their friends that they did nothing but sit in front of screens for the summer.  So regardless of what we have been dealt I make every effort for my kids to see it as memories and fun rather than a summer that will always haunt them.

Unfortunately we have the acreage to deal with and so instead of camping at a camp ground we are camping at the acreage.  Two weekends ago Blaine and I were out there alone with the kids.  I started right into the project the minute I got there.  After finally succumbing to Blaine's request of coming to bed at 11:00 pm,  it felt like I was no sooner asleep than the birds were chirping telling me that my day was slipping away.  When I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 6:30 am I contemplated going back to bed but I also realized that right then was the best time to begin another round of cleaning and organizing.  The kids were still asleep, Boo curled up at Blaine's feet and the only sounds to be heard were the chirping of the family birds that were all so familiar.  Even with Mom and Dad gone they still came fluttering by to see what what bits of food they could find.

It wasn't long before I was well into my work when Ginny came in for her morning hug and to say good morning.  Soon Malakai followed with requests of breakfast and then shortly after Blaine came in asking what the plan was for breakfast.  It was all too familiar..  Something that always happened when we spend the weekend at Mom and Dad's.  I could even hear how excited my Mom would be when we pulled up in our trailer.  Blaine made fried potatoes, bacon and eggs ... not even realizing that it was something Mom would have always made.  A country song played in the background while we ate.  It was a song that I was familiar with and I immediately hopped up and asked the boys to dance with me.  Of course at this age it is not cool to dance let alone with your mother. :)  Ginny jumped right up and giggled as I tried to teach her how to two step.

All of a sudden Blaine put his fork and knife down, got up and said ... "here, watch Mom and I"  He folded me in his arms and began to dance with me, right there in the kitchen.  I couldn't hold back the tears.  They flooded my eyes with joy.  A moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life.  A moment that shows so much to our children.  A moment to add to so many memories of moments spent with family in that kitchen.

The song ended, breakfast was cleared and  the sound of the sander curiously brought me to the big living room window.  There, out side our trailer, Blaine had taken a break to make the kids each a set of stilts.  I was instantly jolted to another child hood memory where my best friend Jill and I used to play on her farm on home made stilts.

What a blessing to see these things enfold before my eyes.  What a fun treat for the kids.  What a blessing to be able to keep them forever in the banks of my memories.

So for now, we will go dancing through the mine fields and take life one step at a time!