out back

this time of year, the boys spend a huge portion of their day outside.  even jonah is now old enough to join in.  for the most part, i leave them to play on their own however they choose.  they have proven themselves capable of playing nicely for hours on the trampoline, in the hobbit house, and on the "boat" (an old hand-me-down plastic playhouse).  i listen in through an open door or window so that i can kiss boo boos and mediate squabbles, but i don't often interfere.  the backyard is their own space and they tend to do a great job of taking responsibility for it.

one day last week, the weather was particularly gorgeous and i joined them outside.  jonah and i played a game of catch (his very favorite thing to do), i listened to titus explain how he was "planting trees" (taking branches from a tree over the fence and relocating them in an upright position in the dirt in front of the hobbit house), i fed the chickens and collected eggs with my best farmer (ezra), and got them all apples which they ate while standing on the picnic table.  i love watching them play out there, in their element.  it's messy and crazy and so incredibly creative.  there are battles and feasts (complete with dirt food, of course) and expeditions and so many adventures.

when i think about our yard, i am tempted to think about the ways i wish we could change it (too much dirt, too little grass, fence a bit beat up, piles of unused things).  change will come in time, i am sure.  but right now, if i just spend some time looking at it through the eyes of these four wild boys of mine, i realize that it is exactly what they need.