Sunshine after the rain....

I know we needed the rain, but I for one am a little tired of all this cold, dreary rain we've been having. While good for my flowers, tomatoes, and corn that have been planted recently, I desperately long for the warmth of sunshine and the bright blue skies that so often accompany spring, or at least in my mind should accompany spring. Perhaps the weather hasn't realized that we are now in the month of MAY, and is stuck back in the old "April showers brings May flowers" time period...I say mother nature needs a gentle reminder that we are now in May and it's time for flowers, warmth, and sunshine. Grocery shopping, errand running, and all the other stuff that I normally do on weekend's is definitely no fun in this perpetual state of wetness, so I have decided that rainy days are better spent lounging on the couch watching movies or otherwise being unproductive. Of course there are plenty of things for me to do in the house, but somehow today watching cartoons and Disney movies with the kids was far more appealing than laundry or housework, so that's exactly what I did.(I am a little embarrassed to say that I might watch cartoons and Disney movies even if I didn't have kids...am sure there are those of you out there who would likely do the same), but I have to say I am a firm believer in the fact that at times it's okay to let the inner child out to play....when the situation, time, and location calls for it.

Such was the case this past Friday night when I took my son to play at the high school where I work. Yes, I combined work and play in the same sentence, and it is one of the perks of my job as a high school teacher....we had a senior carnival at school on Friday, and of course the inflatables etc...were rented for 24 hours, so we had a faculty night at the stadium with the kids. Since Caroline went to a sleepover with some of her little friends, I decided Brody and I would go and play because he LOVES bouncy things and playing in general. I also knew him seeing all those inflatables on the football field knowing that there was no time limit or cost and that he could jump and play his little heart out would make him the happiest little guy on the planet.....(I can honestly say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree there)....and boy did we have fun jumping and playing.....to watch him enjoying himself warmed my heart, brought a smile to my face, and will be a moment I'll cherish for years to come.
In preparation for the new week ahead of me, I took a little time to reflect a little on this past week where things were a little crazy at times (see my earlier post on flexibility). While doing so, I see the sun starting to peek through the clouds a bit and a break from all the rain...and as I am watching this, the thought occurs to me that even though there are long periods of rain that sometimes bring us down, require extra flexibility, and/or make things a little messy, there are equal moments of sunshine to  balance everything out and bring us back around......this makes me smile and for that I am thankful.

Incidentally, I have posted some pictures below of Brody and me from Friday night.....such good times!