Memories | Being Outside

Here in Florida, being outside is not always a pleasant experience.  We are the Sunshine State, but our sunshine usually comes with a heavy dose of humidity.  Needless to say, spring and autumn are our favorite times to be outside... no humidity!

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here lately, so I took a bucket of soapy water outside, and Addie grabbed her bubbles.  I washed down the clothes line while Addie was blowing bubbles and watering the "flowers" (weeds).  Then we came back inside to grab my freshly washed load of laundry so they could hang on the line.  

The weather was perfect and the atmosphere delightful.  A nice, cool breeze blowing, a bird or two flying by here and there, and the sounds of cows and chickens from the neighbor's farm were coming through our woods.  

It was so nice outside that I made a portable lunch for us, and we ate on the back porch.  

We had such a nice time on Wednesday, that yesterday, our morning began the same way except that the clothes line did not need to be washed.  I had my freshly washed  load of laundry, and Addie had her bubbles. 

After hanging the clothes, I still wasn't quite ready to go inside.  So I grabbed a rake and began cleaning up the fallen leaves in one corner of our property (I did not overwork myself. I fully intend to be just as mobile and full of energy during this pregnancy as I was for Addie's.  The sick feeling has gone away.  My prayer has always been during my pregnancies that God would make me strong like the Hebrew women in Exodus.).  Addie was so excited to "help"!  She would grab a handful of leaves from the ground and throw them onto my pile.  This continued for a while... until I started a new pile.  Then she began taking leaves from my new pile and transfering them to the old pile.  A few times she ran right thru one of my piles and she even took a handful of leaves and tossed them into the air! 

But you know what?  I didn't care!  We were having such a good time outside. She was making up little songs, squealing, and had such a look of joy and happiness on her face. She did get dirty, but I was okay with that.  She had dirt smudges on her face, and I smiled.  She was having a grand time in the dirt and leaves like children are supposed to and have for centuries.  And it wasn't anything a bath could not fix- which we did promptly after going inside. 

I am improving!