Responsible Much?

This morning was an absolute glorious morning. When Jon is out of town I keep the curtains open in our room, and so a dramatic sky and navy colored ocean welcomed my day. There was a wonderful cool breeze running through open windows, and it actually felt a wee bit like fall. I slept in an extra 45 minutes because I stayed up way too late eating chocolate and enjoying the quiet last night, and because my big kids have a later Friday schedule. I'm more responsible when Jon is home.

Yesterday was pretty fabulous, too. Unlike today, I was up early getting the day going. The first online class was at 7AM, then a couple more every hour after that. In the meantime, others needed to get to campus, Jon needed a ride to the train station, and I ran the breakfast counter and lunch packing station for several hours. Oh, and home schooled Jacob and Andrew. By noontime, though, I stuck my tongue out at responsibility and took off for the beach. Maybe it's because of the summer pictures I've been sorting through, or maybe it's because we've been bearing the weight of responsibility far too long, but I'd like to think that it's actually responsible to take a break sometimes. Yes, I'm going with the latter. It's responsible to recharge.

We packed dried fruit and popcorn and clementines. I took along two cups of coffee because I'm running on fumes. It wasn't responsible for me to stay up as late as I did last night, but rest comes in more ways than by sleep alone.

Jacob wanted me to follow him to see some "secret" places. I loved the view of Andrew from the top, and smiled at the view of Jacob's bedhead, ratty wetsuit, and soggy bottom.

I was a kid just like him... searching for secret places and always looking for a place to balance from.

I hang out with kids all day, every day. I revert to childhood quite regularly. I pretend I can fly and do random things just for the fun of it.

I got chewed out by a couple other beach-goers yesterday. They were offended by my parenting. I guess I'm not raising good boys if I let them feed the birds. I guess it's reckless parenting to let kids play on rocks because they just might tumble down a few feet to their I-don't-know-what. I guess I'm foolhardy for letting them scrape a tiny hole in the sandstone because the whole environment depends on us not interacting with it.

Whatever. I found myself seething for a while, but I refrained from getting up and returning the favor of giving parenting advice. I personally didn't think it was any safer to spray kids with chemicals, cutting off the skin's ability to produce vitamin D and filling the lungs with pharmaceutical film. It's probably not good for the environment either. I did find the thought of me sharing my "concern" a little humorous, though.

So I did cartwheels instead. That probably settled it in their minds that I am an irresponsible, airhead parent. Well good then. I probably had a happier day.

Brothers and best friends. I hope some day they appreciate my irresponsible parenting!

I'm getting set for another late night with flag football games and preparation for a women's event at church in the morning. The weekend will be a non-stop list of activity and true responsibility and work, so I'm balancing that all out with waffles for dinner tonight. Happy weekend!


~Katherine