Memorial Day

We went together to mother's grave, where our children sponateously started to "decorate" it with little leaves and rocks. I thought it was a sweet and tender moment.  Only one of these children knew his grandmother when she was alive. 

We had to remind our children a couple of times to be respectful in the graveyard, but as I watched their child-like energy and innocence I was reminded how refreshing children are.  I thought that if the dear loved ones passed on saw us now, they would probably relish the sound of children's laughter and play. 

When I'm in a crowded restaurant or airport or somewhere else, its easy for me to get frustrated as I try to keep my children "invisible" to other adults who I'm afraid they'll bother.  While I do need to teach my children manners, I also need to chill out.  I don't want to spend their whole childhood shushing them and corralling them if they aren't really hurting anything.  This is such a precious time and their innocence is so sweet and refreshing, I need to be mindful of it and appreciate it and enjoy it.  One of my favorite memories is of a time when we visited some friends at a pool party-- we'd been somewhere in our church clothes and meant to just drop in.  Well, our kids somehow ended up all wet and we ended up letting them just swim in their church clothes.  Nothing was ruined and it has been a fun memory.