Summer

I sit with a book, unread.  My children have captured my attention with their excitement...
squeals and laughter echo.

These are magical days.

Slanted light dapples through leaves as the breathless warmth gives way to cicadas and relief from Summer's heat.

Daddy stands below the treehouse, strong and ready to catch a little one lest they lose the grip on the zipline.

First Katie, newly ten and suddenly more grown, launches and laughs as she slows to a hanging stop.  Drew, all boy and muscle and adrenaline, lets go at the bottom with an "Oh yeah!" and runs back for more.  Then Mari tentatively steps off and spastically hangs on for dear life, knees awkwardly bent and eyes wide with a smile beaming and a giggle at the bottom as Daddy playfully lets her hang for a moment before helping her down.

My coffee, decaf at this time of day, sits by me steaming and waiting to be sipped.  A dog lies at my feet, content from a long day of...lying at someone's feet.  Gracie swoops in for a kiss, hair curled tight after a bath.  So beautiful.

Boys coming sauntering through my gate as DJ and friends arrive ready for a game of basketball.  Katie makes sure they stay in line and only slightly annoys her big brother with her participation in their game.  Children move to the trampoline, springs squeaking and voices shrieking with delight.
More sound,

more laughter,

more magic.