Our Non-Laboring Weekend

Labor Day is set aside as the holiday to honor working people. At least that's what answers.com told me and I always believe what I read after typing "meaning of Labor Day" into Google. 

Aside from a few minor chores around the house, our family did everything we could to avoid laboring this weekend. We enjoyed a final hurrah at the community pool. We spent an evening laughing and playing with friends. We took naps. We walked through the woods and by the lake. We ate ice cream. Lots of ice cream. We ran in the rain and jumped in puddles.

It was simple. It was relaxed. It was non-laboring.

It's Monday evening and my aged body still aches from playing KINECT with friends on Saturday evening. It's strange that even though I chase my kids all day, sit on the floor to play, climb through playground tunnels and hang from monkey bars, my inner thigh muscles are currently in a state of extreme fatigue and aching burn. I guess those muscles aren't required for managing three kids.

Ignoring my aches and pains, we had a great time with the Robinson family on Saturday. Pizza: score. Ice cream: score. Games: score. Trampoline: score. Laughs: score. Memories because I'm rather ditzy and open-mouth-insert-foot way too often: score.

Sunday was almost a labor-free day. Almost.

Grady taught our College Group and I helped keep crawling babies fed, changed, and content. But, given that the past several Sundays have involved numerous meetings and other events, this Sunday was a much-needed breather.

The best part (for me at least)? We all took naps.

My aching thighs appreciated the rest. My runny-nosed baby appreciated the rest. My worked-hard-all-week-and-am-going-to-relax-in-front-of-the-game-but-actually-fall-asleep husband appreciated the rest. And my nonstop, boundless energy boys appreciated the rest.

Sunday evening we grabbed a quick burger out before heading to the lake for a walk. While eating dinner, a policeman walked in to the restaurant. My boys simultaneously declared, "A policeman is here! And he has a gun!"

After Mr. Policeman gave his order he walked over to our table to greet our boys and say hello. Micah looked at him and emphatically said, "Firemen are much stronger and faster than policemen." Even though I had already crawled under the table to hide, I think I remember Mr. Policemen politely saying, "Yeah, that's probably true because they have to run into burning buildings and carry axes."

That policeman is my new hero.

We took a long walk around Copperhead Island (nice name, eh?) and enjoyed the evening outside. The boy had numerous acorns, pine cones, rocks, and leaves that "are beautiful treasures to bring home and decorate for Fall time." Lovely.

A portion of the lake shore was covered in clam shells, which my boys thought paralleled the beach at the ocean. They were elated to collect as many as their pockets allowed and Grady Lee nearly burst with excitement when he picked one up and it snapped shut. "This one has an animal still in it! Can I take him home and put him in Sharky's bowl?"

So this lovely clam joined our family for the remainder of the walk and was promptly dropped in a murky fishbowl when we got home. As of this morning, our new clam didn't seem to be adjusting well, based on the floating, slimy mass that had separated into a few different parts in the bowl.

Of course, an adventure outside wouldn't be complete without an injury of some sort.  And, keeping in line with obvious predictability, Micah was the lucky one to acquire bragging rights for showing the most blood. (That child, that child, that child.)

Today was one of those wonderful days when your kids decide that each other is their best friend and playing together is all they want to do. Happiness for Grady and I.

Grady did a lot of reading. I took down Summer and put up Fall. Annalyse and I went shopping. The boys played, and played, and played.

The day involved some on and off rain and sprinkles, but by mid-afternoon the skies opened and rained steady for a long time. Since it's been weeks since we've had a hint of rain, my boys were so happy to run and splash in the rain and I was so happy that our lawn may yet return to green before the grass goes dormant this Fall.

Puddle jumping. Catching rain on our tongues. Splashing by the storm drains. Running in wet grass. Non-laboring fun I tell you, non-laboring fun.

After today this week picks up, as it does for everyone else. Bible studies and children's clubs and library and school classes and recreational soccer are all in full-swing now.

Labor Day is over... let the working people have at it!