Just down the street...

It's been one of "those" weeks around here. Nothing in particular has been terrible, but nevertheless, we've been swamped with life and stuff. First, my biggest boy caught himself a nasty case of pink eye, which he so generously shared with the baby. And his daddy. Then, between administering eye drops 'round the clock, our calendar somehow became so booked that every night of our entire week has been spent running here and there and back again!
This morning, we woke up to a drizzly, gray day--when I wanted nothing more than to get the boys outside in the yard to run off some of their energy! (And, of course, because being outside means that I can't clean up the mess that is this house today!) The kitchen sink is full of dishes (a few might even be from last night's dinner!), the dining room table has been overtaken by projects and lesson plans, and the rugs are in desperate need of a vacuuming. I wanted nothing more than to curl up on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good book, but those days are the things that dreams are made of when you've got a toddler and a baby to care for daily. After a few hours of our usual daily grind, I spotted a break in the clouds and decided we should get outside for a bit. No matter that the grass was wet; we would head down the street for a walk!
I wrangled Levi into the Ergo carrier, and we spent a good 20 minutes hunting for a pair of little blue Crocs that mysteriously disappeared overnight. One more trip to the potty, a pair of socks crammed onto wiggly feet, and another weather check. The dog was jumping around barking, and the baby was getting restless on my back. But, just as I was beginning to think that my idea was more crazy than productive, we were finally ready to walk out the door.
And, as I'd hoped, the moment we stepped outside, our moods lifted! I think we were only about 20 feet away from out driveway when both Nate and I were laughing out loud at the dog's goofy antics. A cool breeze carried away all of our grumpiness, and the sunshine peeked through the clouds. As we made our way down the soggy street, droplets of rain blew off of the trees onto our faces. "Rain get on me!" giggled Nate. Even Levi immediately stopped fussing as the breeze ruffled his hair, and he waved around his fists in approval.
Our walk wasn't long, but it was exactly what we'd needed! A breath of fresh air, a peek of sunshine, and a few minutes outdoors with my littles were so much more rejuvinating than any old cup of coffee or book could have been. It's naptime now, and I hear thunder rolling into the area. Our evening might consist of stormy weather, but at least I've finally got enough motivation to wash enough dishes to make dinner!