Sunshine and Rain

Earlier this summer, we found Princeska and Buttercup playing this game in our front yard. They would "go to bed" on the front walk, under their umbrellas. When they "woke up," they would "sneak up" on the sprinkler, using the umbrellas to shield themselves from the spray. Buttercup would keep her little hand on Princeska's shoulder as Princeska coached and encouraged her while facing their nemesis: the sprinkler. Eventually, they ran shrieking back to the front walk and the game started all over again.

I love so many things about this little game! Seeing them play evokes memory after memory of my sister and I playing outside together. We had snail school, swung from trees like monkeys, pretended to be amazons, caught lizards to train, used our swing set to train for high wire acts (death defying ones, of course)...and many other front yard adventures. We spent hours playing make believe games in our yard. Sometimes things got messy (once I stepped on and killed a lizard that was really slow...I cried and cried, I was so upset). Sometimes things got embarrassing (jumping over the wrought iron gate while playing spies and ripping my shorts clean off). I think we spent every waking moment outside and on the move!

I'm not even sure I can express what it is about seeing them play together oblivious to my presence that is so special to me. I love that my girls love each other. I love that they love being outside. I love the creativity of an imaginary game, unhindered by the bounds of reality. I am so tickled that they somehow came up with the idea of playing in the sprinklers, but with umbrellas. I love listening to the sound of their giggles as they enjoy God's creation and each other. I feel so blessed that they are friends and I pray that they will always be there for each other and share the same close relationship that Marcy and I do. And I feel privileged to find myself immersed in one of life's moments that deserves to be soaked up and savored, saved in my heart and mind, frozen in time.