I think people have it all wrong.
I don’t think we’re living in the Deep South:
I think we’re living in a rainforest!
The last two months it has rained every day except for one day.
EVERY DAY.
No matter if there is a bit of sunshine, it will rain at some point.
Most likely even pour, not just sprinkle.
It’s dumping rain as I write!
It was okay for the first week or two.
And then I was getting a little tired of it.
But, I do love {love} rain, and a rainy day is SO cozy, and now?
It’s just an expected thing.
Well. Last weekend we had some more rain, but a bit heavier and faster than some showers.
This was a downpour that lasted quite a while, and after it stopped raining, I wanted to see the damages.
We live right across the street from a park, and I could tell it was flooded. And I wanted to explore a bit. So I rounded up the kids, and even though they weren’t too thrilled about going outside where everything was so wet when they could stay in a clean dry house, they came along.
The intentions were to just dip a few toes in the puddles, er, flood.
But there was a little slip, a little oops, and well,
since the park doesn’t flood every day, so enjoy it let’s make a memory!
[yes, I did check for power lines and other dangerous things. :)]
Scene 1. The Slip.
“I’m WET! Maybe I should cry?”
Scene 2: “Actually, this will be fun after all!”
Scene 3: “Living wild & free!”
I have to admit, when I allowed the girls to get into the water I felt some “bad mommy” feelings. Like, who allows their kids to play around in brown water? And what will people think of that?? And I know there are people who totally gross out over things like that, in a horrified manner. I’ve been there, I’ve been that horrified mother. And I’ve also seen other spasming mothers.
But I don’t want to be a “sanitized & safe” mom, one that is so ever-protective that kids can’t explore and live and do crazy [within reason! ha!] things. What a boring childhood I would have had if my parents hadn’t allowed me liberty within reasonable boundaries. And yet, it’s kind of scary, you know?
And when we were leaving the park, after playing for a long time, and getting a lot of crazy looks from passers-by, and I heard the girls say, “This was SOOOOOOO fun, Mom. I can’t wait to tell Daddy!” I knew it was worth it. The extra-scrubbing and sanitizing that would have to follow this little outing. The extra work of cleaning up and dirty clothes. And even the wondering what the people thought who passed by (and there was a lot of rubber-necking!).
That all really didn’t matter. What mattered is that my kids had a great time. What matters is that they made a great memory. What matters is that we laughed so hard and had a fun afternoon.
We did all have a great time.
And it was a good reminder to me to just be spontaneous,
to let go of some of my preconceived ideas of what good mothers do or don’t do,
to not be paralyzed because maybe other mothers would never do this particular thing;
but to let go, let loose, and simply be the mother God made ME to be ~
and to allow some unexpected fun in the way of a game of puddles. :)
Happy week to you!
Could cry from happiness looking at these pictures… What I wouldn’t give to be there with them jumping in puddles too… & I woulda paid Zoe to take a picture of you jumping in he water :)) live you sis!
You are a perfectly wonderful mother! My mom died a week ago and I’ve been thinking about all the fear and doubt that she instilled in me…and have been thinking how I wish she’d allowed me to grow differently, in “liberty within reasonable boundaries”! I wish I could have a “do-over” in raising my own 3 kids. You are a blessing and an inspiration!
I totally did this same thing 2 weeks ago- we had an inch of rain in about 45 minutes (we live in a desert so this is rare) and the puddles looked alot like your pictues… I let my 3 boys out. They played in the puddles, rode bike thru the puddles, made boats, got very dirty but had the time of their life!!! Then we took baths… :) You are a great sport to go along with your kids!
Me too. I could cry from happiness, too. I can just hear the babies giggling and it makes me wish for the fourteen thousandth time that I was your next door neighbor and could join the fun. What a great mommy you are.
I always thought that’s what God made puddles FOR. It’s also fun with a huge umbrella and rain boots.
I love that last picture of the two of them walking through the “river” with the trees on the edges of the frame…..so beautiful!
loved this post!brought back memories of when I was growing up.after a summer thunderstorm my Mom left us kids splash in puddles and streams created by water run-off from fields,(not very clean,let me tell you)! I especially like the expression of your airborne daughter as she hits the puddle.
About 6-7 years ago we got 11 inches of rain in 2 days. We had a huge ‘river’ running down the hill, through our back yard and into the storm drain on the corner of our property. My son was pretty surprised that his mom left him play in it (after the lightening was over, of course) but he still talks about it sometimes when it rains really hard. He wishes we still lived at that house so we could do it again! You made a great decision!
How FUN! I remember the day I let the boys go nuts in the mud puddles and how much fun it was for me to watch them! But we didn’t have nearly this much water. You guys almost had your own little waterpark! :) Goodness though, I thought I was bellyaching for sun and warmth and it hasn’t rained every single day here {even if it feels like it sometimes}. I hope you get a little sun soon!
One of my best memories as a kid is being allowed to play in the ditches after a huge rainstorm. Your kids will remember this, too, likely! The splash at the bottom of the slide looks wild. :)
Also, you have my sympathies about the rainy weather for a couple of months. I love rain, too, but the lack of sunshine can drive me a little nutty after a while. Hope you get some sunshine soon.
The pic of one of your little girlies at the very end of the slide was perfect! Looks like a load of good ol’ fashioned free fun to me =)
So FUN!!! and wow! rain everyday for two months! We had a lot of rain this past spring, but not as much as you.
Such fun memories you made with your cute little girlies. :)
Happy Monday Clarita!
XxOo
What fun! I enjoy being that kind of babysitter and just let the kids stomp in the puddles, get dirty and enjoy life. In my eyes there’s a time to be clean and a time to enjoy life :P Love that picture of them flying into the water from the slide. Perfect capture!
This looked like so much fun! My Mum (who is 60) would still totally do this – probably with my kids! Great photos too
I like the pic of the sliding board and the splash at the end! Must have been a whopping fun time they will never forget!
It’s our rainy season too, although I do think this summer has been more wet than normal. I heard your area has already received its years worth of rain…no wonder you’re flooded :)
I love when I have a chance to do something out of the ordinary and am rewarded with a “Mom, that was so much fun!” :) Bless you for letting go of the “mom rules” and giving your children a beautiful memory!
:: simply beautiful.
your selfless, Christ-honoring mommyhood inspires a younger who wants to do things just like that when she grows up!
sweet blessings to you! ::
You are a good momma. I fondly remember playing in puddles, and the muddier the better. We would have contests to see who could get the most mud on them. Head. to. toe. Any one watching you was probably jealous. =) I love the pic of the girls running pell-mell into the puddle. That’s the kind of free-spirited abandonment that God wants us to use to attack all of life’s challenges. This makes me want it to rain here! =)
Nothing better then the water at the end of a storm. We had a small creek that ran through our lawn growing up and the best thing ever was playing in there after a good hard rain. I’m sure your girls won’t forget this. :)
Beautiful! =)
Thank you so much for sharing the simple joys of childhood. Embrace it fully! Our children grow SO fast!
yep. i think you may have officially become a southern redneck now. ;)
totally kidding!!
this looks like loads of fun. and, my kids would so love it too!
happy tuesday Clarita!
♥
You make me laugh out loud! You just may be right. In a town where everything is about ‘saving face,’ I most certainly didn’t follow the rules!
Oh, wow! That looks like sooo much fun! One of my favorite childhood memories was swimming in my Grandpa’s bean field when it would flood, and then “painting” ourselves in the process with mud of course. Way to go!
Awww! They look like they had a ball! Please send the rain my way! We are in a severe drought….all of our new shrubs have died (for the second year in a row). : (
You sound so much like myself in my own (similar) post…I did awhile back. Here is that post – if you’re interested.
http://treasuredupandpondered.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-daybook-in-august.html
**
It really does make a difference when you can say “yes!” once in awhile. I need to (still) more often.
Wow! I thought we have had a lot of rain lately! Your kids will always remember you letting them play in the water. When I was a young kid, we lived in Albany, Ga and had a flood. I remember riding the water down our street and it was a blast!
What a great post! Brought back memories when my boys were younger!( they must’ve been older than your children) We had guests over with 2 boys and all 4 boys were playing outside…one of us looked out the window and what a sight we saw…..4 boys literally wallowing in a BIG mud puddle!! Since they were dirty and wet anyways, we let them have their fun!! It’s such a fun memory now and I’m so glad we let them be:) And can’t you just see 4 boys standing in the entrance to our house with nothing else but their undies on because their clothes were too wet and dirty to bring inside?!!
Those pictures make me smile. How fun!
I love love love this post. this is how life should be, truly…just taking time for the “moments” that come along!
This is no different than a lake! An impromptu, temporary, lake. Looks like tons of fun!!
Ha! You would have had so much fun. :)
I’m so sorry about your loss, Gail! And it sounds like loss on different levels, some of the hardest kinds. My heart goes out to you! YOU are a blessing to me. xo
I have so many happy memories of playing in puddles – the sewers used to flood when it rained on our street and we’d run out and have the best of times! I’m glad my mom wasn’t a germaphobe ;)) or always so proper or worried what others thought but just let us live and be kids.
I think of that alot w my own kids and desire to mother that way- this post just inspired me all over again!!!
XoxO
Looks like your kids had a ball, what a wonderful memory for them to hang on to. My parents let me play in the gutter of our street, dam it up and collect the tadpoles that would come after the rain. I so love reading your posts, even ones from a couple of years ago (like this one). I sometimes get quiet moments in my working day (I work from home and only have one child left at school these days). When I stop to read one of your blog messages it is like hearing from a friend. Your words of encouragement, your honesty about being a mum and all that goes with it just lifts my sometimes lonely moments. I long for the days when my kids were young, but am now navigating another season in life. Thank you for your words. I know you are moving from your gorgeous southern cottage and wonder how you are getting on. We have just sold our home of 24 years and are looking for a smaller home as our two eldest sons have married in the last few years leaving us just two sons at home (aged 20 and 15). I know God has our future in His hands but I do find the thought of this change huge. Times like this I just cling to the knowledge that He goes before and will lead us. I know He will lead for your family too. May God abundantly bless you in all you do.