Our World Away from the World

There is something magical about a flowing stream surrounded by trees and sunbeams. It's another world. A far away place.

This place is an invitation to adventure and imagination. A place to explore and dream or just play in the sandy dirt beach.

I still see what a child sees when I come here, and I wish I still had the energy of a child.

When I feel the breeze cross my path and the sunshine warm my face as I walk through the beams poking through the trees, as I hear the rushing swish of water trickle by and see my children, shoeless, playing in it's coolness, I smile and think, "This is magic!"

I am grateful for this enchanted place. It is hard to tell how it makes me feel in words...

...but as it has been said, pictures are worth thousands of words!

I wasn't the only one who saw the magic here. Apparently a group of highschoolers had their photographs taken here. They actually got IN the freezing stream water in their prom dresses.-but I'll bet the pictures will be worth it.:)

Aren't they beautiful? I know, I am completely biased.:)

Farewell To Noise

The house is quiet. I can hear the rinse cycle of the washing machine as it spins the clothes, and fills with water. The clocks are ticking, the keys of my keyboard are clacking, and a little girl outside just screamed. My children have left the building...

Twelve years ago we started the journey, parenthood, and it has gotten louder and louder ever since that day my oldest let out his first scream. I cried, daddy cried, gramma cried and it was one big happy family. Eleven and a half years later, and many hours of laughing, crying, talking, running, jumping on furniture, writing on walls, screaming, fighting, slamming doors, watching videos, playing games, eating lunch together, getting snowsuits on and taking them off five minutes later because someone forgot to pee, tying shoes, kissing booboos, hugging necks, tousling hair, putting children in the corner, discussing words NOT to use, dancing in the living room, making cookies with the kids, answering a zillion questions, kind of listening to descriptions of bike tricks being done in the alley or the cool airplane that just passed over head, restoring relationships between my kids and the neighbor kids, passing out homemade cookies, teaching math, reading and writing, etc., etc., etc., I get to hear the washing machine now.

I could say it's a beautiful sound. I could shout "GLORY HALLELUJAH, I can hear myself think." I could think of plenty of things to do with this old quiet I have rediscovered, and I am sure I will! But for now, I am basking in the memories of the noise, and watching the little ghosts come in and out of the house and run through the living room with muddy shoes on. Maybe tomorrow I'll do something with the quiet, but let me say good-bye to the noise today.

It will always be beautiful noise to me!