A Sunday Afternoon

Sundays are often relaxing days for our family after coming home from church... considering that our Sunday recipe often calls for a family nap. I always thought I would prepare this shining Sunday dinner for my family, but thankfully Paul has comforted me in encouraging a no-hassle cooking regime for Sunday afternoons which makes it so much more enjoyable to look forward to these rare afternoons. As the evenings become longer and the days mildly warmer Paul is always one to round us up for a late afternoon/evening on the porch while the girls enjoy their quiet playtime in the yard. Sara Kate is most often swirling about like a chirping bird, starting up a conversation of reminiscing about her friends and cousins. While Hannah is more often a shy and flightless bird studying the leaves and bugs, and drawing scenes according to her vision and perfection. I will always be amazed at her ability to draw three-dimensionally... truly she gets it from Paul. It is Sara Kate and I that often wonder of people and places, in the past, present and future tenses. This particular afternoon Paul was envisioning patches of flower beds and ornamental grasses, in addition to painting the outside of our house. The peaceful awakenings of these laid back afternoons, spark something different in all of us... while you can imagine the yearning I had to simple snap pictures hoping to catch a bit of this afternoon's sentiments.

These sentiments have also sparked us all to plant a flower and vegetable garden. Since Hannah is enjoying her plant unit for science so much, we began growing seeds indoors these past weeks, and now, Paul and I are itching just as much as the girls, to pluck them in the ground and watch them flourish. Each day the amazement and wonder that flashes across the girls faces as they watch their pumpkin, carrot, sunflower, green bean, corn and cucumber seeds change shapes and sizes in even such a short time as one afternoon... it is truly a spiritual awakening for us all. We are going to prepare the ground outside Monday evening as a family and place these growing seedlings in their new plots. We will be sure to share the pictures as they (the flowers and vegetables) continue to grow.

Paul and Sara Kate enjoying a Sunday afternoon...

What a blossom she is...
It is truly a prize to watch Hannah grow so artistically... and in many other ways... as you can see her toothless smile...
Hannah and her drawings of a farm complete with a barn, corral and its animals...
These kind of afternoons remind me that it doesn't take much, or anything grand even, to spark the spiritual awakenings that often occur on our front porch together. Whether it's a conversation or just a feeling we share alongside such simple sentiments, it is easier than we make it to grow together, and individually,... in a family.

Other ideas for creating spiritual awakenings as a family...

Drawing and painting
Sing lots of songs
Work with puzzles
Read lots of books
Write in a journal
Cooking and baking (the latter is my preferred method)
Playing pretend
Exploring nature... (animals, plants and people)
Grow something
Making crafts and toys
Helping around the house... with dishes, vacuuming, laundry, dusting, etc.
Watching a thunder and lightening storm
Looking at the stars
Visiting the library... an orchard, museum, bakery, or fire station

As a mother and a wife... taking the time to let these things remain simple and unfold naturally offers the greatest reward... that of seeing our family grow together... just as our young seedlings are beginning to... more soon... enjoy your afternoons!