Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:3) 

Yesterday we were almost rain-bound. The morning was a wash, but things did clear up in the late afternoon and I was able to let David outside for a short romp.

Rain may be hard on cooped-up children, but the light of an overcast, misty day made for some beautiful shades of browns and greys in the trees behind the house, here in the Connecticut woods.

Rain Day, of course, translates into: “build elaborate train sets, use the wooden blocks to make roads, bring out every car and truck in the house, and generally cover 90% of the floor space with every other toy imaginable.”

I played music on my iPhone (The Lumineers), kept the television off most of the day, and watched in wonder as David used his creative mind to manipulate the cars and trains.

ABSORBED: We’re eight-plus days in to this Grand-parenting Adventure now, and both children are feeling it.

There’s an uptick in neediness, their feelings are tender, and tears are always close to the surface. But at the same time I feel more completely absorbed into their world. I can sense the children’s confidence in me, and they can sense my confidence in what I am doing.

Beks smiled at me when she woke up from her nap; David happily helped carry mail back up to the house. You know, they might even miss me when I fly back to North Carolina. You’d better believe I’ll be missing them.

Until then… we’ve got some trains to play with before lunch… and some towers to build… and some more roads to lay out….

– DEREK