A common theme in my life right now is the repairing of broken things, remember the electricity, that´s really just the tip of the iceberg. Well, in emailing a friend today I commented on just why the pioneers had so many children a)mortality rates b)cheap labor. Really it makes sense to live in large groups, so much more can get done with the collective. Since my kids are stalling out on the invention of a family solar powered car, preferrably a Land Rover, I engaged them in another task.
Let´s Repair the Road!!!
With the rains still coming a couple of times a week our driveway is in a state of disrepair with large ruts everywhere. Since Sebastian also had a playdate today, I thought I would capitalize on the use of cheap labor. See I really am American! We set out down the driveway with wheelbarrow and shovels, looking for rocks to put in the ruts. First wheelbarrow of rocks toted no problem. Roarke gave up on the large shovel in 3 minutes, he´s 3 that´s his best apparently, whining "This shovel is too heavy!", so our guest Martin picks up the shovel and marches into the trenches. Bless your real heart Martin, you have way more stamina than my three children combined! Sebastian and Martin shoveled soil into the holes for about 8 minutes, Isabel pranced around sticking her feet in the muck, and then they left me to the job while they went off to Sebastian´s secret place among the trees. Hey, I want to go to a secret place too, where nothing is broken!
Left alone to do the job...I predicted as much, well Roarke was there complaining about dirt in his shoes. Is it immature to want to tell your 3 year old "I don´t care sweat is dripping in my cleavage and I´m hot and stinky!" Yes? Well, I didn´t say it, I just thought it. All in all I managed to fill half of one very long rut and have collected the third wheelbarrow full of rocks to start again tomorrow, probably alone. Wait, that gives me a great idea, if I say I don´t want their help, they´ll rush to help me. I am a genius!
Epilogue: This wouldn´t post while we drove Martin home, good luck, because there is more to the story. After coming home at 6:30pm, Sebastian decided he was going to take this road repair earnestly and went to work, I had to cook dinner. As Sebastian walked down the drive way he said "I´m going to help you mom because daddy isn´t here and we need to help you make things easier." What a smile he brought to my heart, 7 and 3/4 years old, off to fix the road. Also, notice how he calls me mom but Richard is still daddy. For his mother he will be strong and grown-up but for daddy...Sebastian doesn´t think his strength and courage are as large as the idea of just "dad". But I know better, he is a constant source of courage to me and once again my heart is overflowing from the little gifts one receives in a day. My son today carried one load in this life, for me, so I wouldn´t have to and that my friends is definitely something to be grateful for.
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