in the garden.

What a crazy Saturday. I stayed up late last night and was very tired this morning, but it didn't matter. We had a big day ahead of us no matter how tired I felt. I began calling some of my closest friends in the ward and recruiting their husbands. Kyle had to move some 100 boxes (full of the worst, heaviest things possible - yep, books) out of his parents' basement. It was huge bummer. I felt very sorry that I couldn't help him, and really didn't want him to do it alone. I was SO GRATEFUL to my awesome neighbors who happily came to the rescue to help him out. With 5 strong guys on the job, it still took over an hour. That means that Kyle would have been at it for 5 hours on his own...and he probably would have ended up at the hospital afterward! Sheesh. So, when the job was done, and Kort was happily playing at a neighbors, I decided to sneak back into bed. It was great. I slept for three hours. When I woke up, I went into my kitchen, ate my weight in Marshmallow Mateys, then turned my attention to the mountain of dishes that had piled up over the last 4 days.(Yeah, 4 days. Totally gross. I know.) But right as I started, I saw two very cute, very focused boys playing in the garden. And I thought: "Dishes can wait."

They were digging a mote.


It was very serious work. (I love the dirt crusted on his knee.)

They tossed unsuspecting worms that they unearthed along the way into the rhubarb plant "to have some lunch."

I loved feeling the warm sun on my face and watching two adventurous boys put big plans into action.

I looked looking over the sleepy, old, crusty garden and imagined how beautiful it could be this summer with just a little bit of encouragement. I think that I need to have a garden this year. I need to walk around in it barefoot and pregnant eating peas straight out of the pod. I think "need" is a fair word in this particular case.

The new, brightly colored shovels (with Target "dollar spot" tags still dangling from their wooden handles) made me really happy for reasons I can't exactly put my finger on.



Then Kort happened upon a snail. I love snails. When I was a little girl living in Las Vegas, my favorite part of every morning was going out on the back patio to help the few remaining snails (you know, the ones who hadn't been smart enough to get off of the pavement before sunrise) into the shade. I remember thinking that the tapestry of silvery, sparkle-y trails they'd woven in the middle of the night were nothing short of magical. Snails are just so nice. So pleasant. Sure, they eat leaves and ruin gardens and it's kind of rude...but they don't know any better. I personally would rather have a hole-y garden full of snails than an immaculate one with no little slimy guys at all.

Kortland picked up the snail and said "I'm gonna kiss it!"
To which his friend replied "Ew, sick!"
(The EXACT reaction I happen to know that Kort was looking for)
And kiss it he did.
I'm glad I'm not the only nutter in this family who happens to like snails.

Then Kort put his new little buddy up on the garden fence so he would be safe from the lethal slice of a misguided target dollar shovel, and got back to work.

We don't have a lot of money, but having my own little slice of earth where snails can roam, dogs can poop, and my child can, run, play, build, create, and repeatedly muddy himself beyond recognition makes me feel very, very rich indeed.

I think Kort would agree...

and so would the snail.