What It Means To Me....

The smell of rain in the air...

The feel of the garden dirt between my toes...

Mud squishing between my fingers...

The feel of the fish nibbling on my legs...

The looooong ride in the car to get somewhere...

Lightening bugs...

Roly poly's...(you know they are quite hard to get out of a small nostril)

Homemade ice cream made in the garage...

What does it mean to me? It means summer. It means parents and grandparents and cousins. The Lake. The 4th of July.

It means memories. Childhood.

You see my summers were filled with all these wonderful things. My swimming pool was the huge ditch in front of my grandma's house after a good rain storm. My desserts were peach cobbler and ice cream or fresh fruit right from the tree. If I wanted fried green tomatoes (which, trust me, I did) I would go pick 'em myself.

I miss those days. My heart aches for them. I want to savor every memory and somehow find a way to make my children see how glorious it was to be raised by this wonderful family.

I want to help them make their own memories. I yearn for them to understand that childhood is fleeting and it never returns. I want them to L.I.V.E. in a simpler time and really grow to appreciate it.

But I struggle to find that. I have to work. I have to finish school. I simply can't do everything I want to do and it breaks my heart sometimes. Not in half. Not even a crack I suppose. Just a chip here and there.

So on nights like tonight. When a dreadfully hot day finally starts coming to a painted Oklahoma sky ending. I cherish that I have time with just one kid. To make a lasting memory. And I take out my craft kit and glue a chip of my heart back on.

This is happiness to me. Pure. Momma. Old School. Happiness!

Taking my son to a place I used to go when I was a kid...

This is The Blue Whale...look him up on Facebook! He's a Route 66 Historic Attraction deep in the heart of Catoosa Oklahoma! I have very vivid memories of playing and swimming here as a child. Jumping off his tail and sliding down his side. Pure Joy! Now he's a little beat up. His waters are low and dirty. People throw trash in his park. And that too makes my heart hurt. But bringing Clark here for the first time and watching him take his first hesitant steps into the mouth of the whale. Simply.Sublime.

I sigh with contentment.

I bribe ask him to take just one picture with me. But no amount of money mothers pleading will get a smile out of him. How dare I wrestle gently hold him when he itches to run barefooted through the sand.

And then one self portrait that leaves me wondering if perhaps I can dig through boxes and find one like this of me as a girl here.

A reminder that time won't stop for us. I must be purposeful. I must slow down. I must make memories with them. A sticky, artistic reminder that this moment was PURE and SIMPLE and TIMELESS!

I am linking up today with Becky at Rub Some Dirt On It for this cool hop! Check it out! And let me know what childhood love you've shared or want to share with your kiddos!