Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Sandcastles, Katie, Sandcastles

With all this time at home, we spent much of the past two weeks cleaning up the yard. We had, no exaggeration, 50 bags of leaves. And that was after bagging at least 10-15 last fall. Needless to say, our backyard is infinitely more liveable now. 

We are enjoying multiple meals a day outdoors, peaceful conversations in comfy chairs while the birds are chirping and the kids playing outside almost every day. The cleanup coincided nicely with warmer days and Henry finally being mature enough that he doesn’t need me constantly tailing him to make sure he doesn’t hitch a ride to Mexico. 

Lately, the kids have been spending hours in the sandbox. HOURS. You know those really special days or moments that you are sure your kids will remember forever? For us, it’s these free, seemingly never-ending days in the backyard during this upside down (sometimes scary) world. I have no doubt that while they are building sandcastles and making sand pies, these moments are being imprinted as lifelong childhood memories.  

Watching them play together and imagine and shriek with joy (and often anger) has been an unexpected quarantine gift. 








It is this enlightened perspective that I keep coming back to (several times an hour) as I walk through the kitchen and step on a million grains of sand. THAT I JUST SWEPT UP EARLIER TODAY. 

It is this enlightened perspective that I keep coming back to as I turn on the facet to wash hands to find it covered in wet sand. My hands are literally dirtier from just turning on the water. 

It is this enlightened perspective that I keep coming back to as I scrub the riverbed sediment out of the bathtub. 

It is this enlightened perspective that I keep coming back to as they run through the house covered in sand for the 42nd time in the last hour. AFTER I TOLD THEM TO DUST THEMSELVES OFF BEFORE THEY COME INSIDE. 

(Enlightenment, Katie. Remain calm, Katie. Remember, Katie, memories, childhood innocence, joy. SAND CASTLES, KATIE, SANDCASTLES.)

Okay, so, it’s not all sunshiny magic mothering over here. Life’s about balance though, right? 

2 comments:

BarbaraAnn59 said...

Life in the time of Corona virus! Just when you think the girls are all grown up there they are playing in the sand bix. You are probably correct to say they are embedding memories that will last a lifetime. It will be do you remember when...we were all at home and we did.... You are guiding them beautifully through what is a stressful time. Keep breathing Katie, love and hugs to you all xx

Katie said...

it was a lot off work
but it is amazing tonight