A Spring Sunday

I miss slicing
each night
I miss taking all the things
I notice all day
and deciding
what to slice
what to write

If it were still slicing time, my slice today would be about this spring Sunday.  I would tell you about how each year we finish our fall raking in the spring. I would write about how amazing it feels to rake all the old leaves away and see green. Green!

If I were slicing, I’d tell you how part of spring clean up is throwing toys away that have accidentally been left out all winter and are broken or rotted. I would tell you how the soccer ball should be in the trash can, but how I couldn’t do it. It’s old and gross, yes. But, it is the soccer ball L got after her week of summer soccer when she was 3…. One of my worst parenting fails ever. It was this amazing soccer camp, with coaches from across the ‘pond.’ We arrived on Monday and were told we had to put the shin guards on L’s feet. L didn’t want shin guards, so she cried and screamed for 15 minutes. At which point the coach mentioned to me that it was really okay if she didn’t wear them. (Too little, too late, buddy!) At that point it was too late. Her attitude was wrecked, and she spent the rest of the week on the sidelines, watching. I spent the rest of the week wondering what I should do. I watched as the coach yelled, “Are you ready, Team?” and all the other children yelled back, “We were born ready, coach!”  I was embarrassed that L wouldn’t play with all the other children who lined up with the coach. On the last day she was dribbling the soccer ball next to the field.  When third grade came around, L was excitedly playing soccer at school. Yet another lesson in letting children grow according to their own pace! 

If I were slicing, I’d tell you how every spring, my children go directly to summer games. As soon as it is above 40 degrees, they are ready to play with water. Today was no exception. I would mention in my slice how this is a well known problem with my children, how the neighbors turn their outside faucet off to prevent my children from enticing their children to start water play. I’d tell you how water tables become mud makers and hoses become rain makers. I’d describe how this is such a mixture of endearing and frustrating to me; creative kids, tangled hose, imagination, muddy grass, constant reminders, broken umbrellas…. But laughter and fun makes up for the mud and mess. I guess.

If I were slicing, I’d talk about how amazing it is to make time to throw things away. I’d tell you about the hour my husband and I spent filling hefty bags in our cluttered barn. Who knows how we have accumulated so much stuff… but getting rid of it is our spring priority! I’d ask you if you secretly throw away kid’s old toys too, and if you still hold on to sentimental things like the jewelry box the ring box came in for your engagement ring. (We threw it away. It’s in one of those bags in he picture…)

If only I were slicing! I’d have so much to tell you!