Love, in the flesh

It is a crisp, bright Fall Saturday.  KD was off at the dump by the time I emerged from my sporadic slumber.  The kids were in the midst of beginning their experiments, putting two bottles on top of one another, one half filled in the hopes that a vortex would appear when turned over.   Of course we needed duct tape as the scotch tape was too flimsy, although we did try and we did clean up our mess.  KD returned with muffins for the children, a favorite weekend treat.  I began to prepare to depart on some morning errands when the kids began foraging for mittens and hats.  "It really isn't that cold out guys," KD says.  But they continue to forage and get excited to see the mittens and hats of last season.  I head out to do my errands.

Upon my return...

Baby is riding his bike in the drive way, in flip flops.  No hat, mittens or coat.  The driveway is all wet with splatters of water.  I hear music blasting and see Oldest "rockin" out on the porch, er, stage.  She really does love music and without question feels the rhythm and beat.  Middle emerges from the house in his stripped hat and a scarf wrapped around his, by now, sweaty neck, and says, "Hi mom.  We are doing this."  He proceeds to put an already crushed plastic water bottle on the driveway, partially filled with water, and stomps on it. 

I call each of them over to the car so they can present KD with his belated birthday present, a bi-fold wallet.  The children run to the barn to present him with his unwrapped gift.  They love to give gifts and to their delight he is thrilled.  Thrilled enough that he ceases work to transfer the contents from the old to the new.  It is quite simply a perfect day.

My heart is swollen with love.  It is the simplicity of our lives that reminds me that we need not much more than love.  To give love and to be the recipient of love, there is nothing greater.