kiddos

Mood: contemplative

I took care of our youth pastor's little four year-old boy Friday and Saturday. He is so much fun! When we got to Jylle's basketball game, he sat for maaaaybe one minute and then asked, "Can we go on an adventure?" Translation: Can we go all over the place? On the way home, Jylle and Kev started throwing riddles and knock-knock jokes back and forth. After about 87 of them, there was a quiet moment. Josiah spoke up and told three of his own! Then he sang Christmas songs, one after another, and we all joined in. It was the most fun I've had on a trip back home in a long time!

We've had our pastor's two girls since yesterday, and we'll have them until Tuesday. The oldest one is head on, sold out, crazy overboard in love with horses. They've been helping feed them morning and night, and Kev has led them around on two rides so far. Their intense and constant interest in all the animals is sweet and refreshing. They're easy keepers, and it's wonderful to be able to help out a family we love and respect so much.

I made three loaves of bread yesterday, and I took half of one for my SS class. One boy is lactose intolerant, so I skipped the butter and just brought honey. They loved it! It was the close to my talk on possessions and workmanship. (Right, if that's not self-explanatory, I don't know what is.)

I was barely upstairs after class when the girls were ready to hit the road and get back to the horses. It's so cold out, but the sunshine is delightful! They brushed the dogs, pet the cats, went on a long ride, and are watching "Anastasia" now.

The busyness and constant occupation recall vividly for me these same times with my three. It's a different kind of sweet to be thus engaged with kids not my own. Must be similar to the joy a grandparent experiences, savoring and drinking in all the moments, knowing they will end much sooner than later. I'll be thinking about that.