Because I Can

When I was on my walk this morning,

I noticed the wildflowers in the ditch.

I knew they would make Ruby smile,

and brighten the table, too.

Then I thought,

"What if someone drives by and sees me picking flowers in the ditch?"

And then I thought, 

"Who cares?  It's our land, for goodness' sake."

From there, 

the ramblings in my mind went something like this:

On this "first day of school" for nearly every child in MN,

we are NOT doing school--because we can.

I'm so grateful to live in a country where we have the freedom to 

choose how we educate our children.

I go on a walk in the morning because I want to,

need to,

and because I can--

I don't have job or a boss who dictates where I will be or when.

If I wake up 15 minutes late--or an hour late--it doesn't really matter.

I'm so thankful my husband works hard so I can stay home.

We don't have extra money,

but I can be home with our kids--

or out and about with our kids--

and not have to worry about a "day off".

I have all kinds of work to do every day

and I do it because I decide it needs to be done

and because I can--

I'm thankful for an able body to do all the laundry,

cooking, cleaning, and teaching

and a disappearing lap :-) for reading stories.

(And if I want to take a nap, 

I can.)

Today I'm taking the six younger children to visit my aunt and uncle in ND.

You guessed it--because I can.

I didn't need to put in for time off or sign the children out of anything.

We'll be gone until Thursday.

This is the first time I've ever done anything like this;

I feel strangely empowered and free at the same time!

We've been trying to work it out for two years,

so it's not exactly spur of the moment... :-)

So much about motherhood can be focused on what we can't do--

today I was powerfully reminded about all the things I can.

I'm trying to re-claim the joy 

that is to be found in my calling.

I think I'm starting to...