Rainy Day Blues

It has been raining non-stop since Thursday afternoon, and the forecast is the exact same for today, tomorrow and Monday. Last night, as Cody was blessing our pizza dinner, I had a twinge of guilt when he thanked God for the rain. I know we need this rain, but I couldn’t help feeling anything but grateful for the saturated yard, the puddles in the driveway, and the return of the cold weather after so many beautiful, sunny, warm-weather days.

I tried to tell myself that I wasn’t being selfish… that I was really thinking of the kids. It was my empathy for them, not my own selfishness, that got me thinking about how many hours they’d been cooped up inside. It was my concern for their well being, not my own mental health, that caused me to grow weak when I considered that we were looking at three more days of rain. But I will be honest…. I am going crazy!!! We (and when I say “we,” I mean “they”) need to be outside, running and playing, swinging, blowing bubbles, chasing the neighbor’s dog, running and playing, riding in cars, swinging golf clubs, running and playing, feeding the horses, … did I mention running and playing?

So this morning, determined not to have another rainy-day-headache, we built a fort. Pillows, blankets, an extra large sheet, and a little rearranging were the perfect recipe for a morning of fun.

Jake and Lilly read Daddy every book they own. Then Lilly started gathering all of her stuffed animals, and dragging them into the fort. When it got crowded, Jake made a break for it! Everyone had a blast! I think Daddy even managed to sneak in a morning nap!