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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The good old days.

On Sunday afternoon, I went outside to check on the kids. They were playing with the next door neighbors and things had gotten quiet - a sure sign that something was amiss.

They had been racing through the backyard with wagons and dump trucks and bikes for almost 3 hours. When I found them, they were just quietly milling around.

Peter was muttering and shaking his fists and looking up to the sky and Caleb was looking down and kicking up loose dirt with his feet.

They looked like two old farmers who had finally given up on their crops and were mad at God for not sending more rain.

I asked what they were doing and Peter replied, "We're mad! We want to old days back!"

The old days? Bottles, diapers, crawling, potty training, I thought. What are they talking about?

"The old days? What do you mean?" I asked trying not to laugh as the dirt was billowing up from their kicks. I even had to duck a few times as their fist shaking was getting mightier and mightier.

"We miss the golf cart and the trampoline."

Ah,yes. The golf cart.

Jacob and Caleb's grandfather brought an old golf cart to their house over the summer and left it for several weeks for them to play with. The kids would pile into it and do lap after lap after lap around the backyard every afternoon.

I got conflicting reports on the whereabouts of the golf cart. Jacob told me his grandpa took it away because his mom said it was killing the grass. Caleb said he took it away because it needed to be repaired.

I'm not exactly sure where the beloved golf cart went but it disappeared right around the same time the trampoline did.

They all seemed pretty nonchalant about both items when they were initially removed, so I was a little confused as to why all the fist shaking and dirt kicking was going on now, a month and a half later.

But then it hit me. They do miss the trampoline and the golf cart but maybe in their own little way, they were shaking their fists and kicking the dirt because they really miss summer.

They miss staying up late and sleeping late. They miss playing for hours and hours on end. They miss the freedom of summer and the hot sun.

So as the late afternoon sun was casting long shadows, they were trying with all of their five-year-old might to tell summer not to go. And to warn fall that they weren't to be messed with.

Don't try to come around here fall, each fist shake was saying. Stay away cold weather, all the dirt kicking cautioned.

Or maybe they really just miss the golf cart and the trampoline.

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16 comments:

Maude Lynn said...

This is such a beautiful post! I really like this.

Unknown said...

This is great!

Sometimes I feel that way too!

JMBMOMMY said...

We are missing summer too!

Gloria said...

I feel exactly the same way--I have always been a summer person. I don't mind fall, but I have to remind myself a lot to enjoy it. Fall just means that winter is not far behind and I am so not a winter person.

Debbie said...

What a sweet story. It's a classic.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

That's just heartwarming. Aren't those conversations classic or what? But I agree with them! And I've been meaning to tell you for awhile now, about your 'About Me' text. My sister got MS when she was 25 on her Wedding day (of all days). At any rate, I just wanted to tell you it's something very near and dear to my heart so I'll keep you in my prayers.

Jyl @ MommyGossip said...

Love your blog! Just stopped by from the Mommy Diaries. Glad to have visited.

Tina said...

That's funny...funny how they reminded you of two old farmers. Good stuff...

Laural Out Loud said...

Summers were always the best part of being a kid. I totally understand! The visual of them shaking fists and kicking dirt like old farmers was to die for.

Annikke said...

I remember as a kid missing summer...or at least missing the staying up late and no real responsibilities. Then comes fall/school time and no more staying up late and weekday sleep overs with friends. Poor kids, I feel for them!

Jaina said...

Aww, that is too cute, wishing for the good old days at their age. I wish they could keep summer forever too.

Leanne said...

Great post. I love the story. You know what? I miss summer too and I'd probably miss it even more if I had a go-cart....or a convertable!

Corey~living and loving said...

very well interpreted. :) poor boys....I miss summer too. sigh....

carrie said...

I wonder if they can come shake their fists here too? Maybe if they shake them enough, it just may work . . . you never know! :)

Rebekah said...

LOl- that is so funny "they miss the old days". Ha! just wait til they hit 20, or 30, heck 50 I am sure- they will be really missing the "old days"

I don't enjoy summer the way I did when I was a kid, that's for sure

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love this post - what a great POW :) Kids are so cute. and so DEEP sometimes :)