The View from Here

At times, being the one to stay at home with the kiddos, and my niece and nephew, is a double-edged sword.  Because while it is definitely a conscious choice the Mister and I have been fortunate to be able to make, there is always a little guilt in the background.  The niggling question at the back of the mind..."Am I contributing enough?"  Is it fair that I get to enjoy the sunshine with the kiddos, while the Mister is stuck in a stuffy office, fiending for a surf?  Is it justifiable to call this thing I do work?  (Let me assure you, some days, it most definitely is.)  Or do the moments of sheer bliss...that visit with a dear friend's newborn baby, a play at the park in gorgeous weather, an afternoon glass of sangria with some extra fun friends with kids...do these (major) perks negate the hard work of raising kids?

Ponderous stuff.  And I don't think I have a solid answer.  It depends on the day, really.  The moment even.  If I'm juggling six different things in a given moment, on a tight schedule, and am asked:  "What's for dinner?"  I will most likely feel just the slightest bit aggressive about the fact that I'm busy working here.  In the next moment, though, when considering that I'm about to have a lovely day outside with my kiddos, it really doesn't feel so much like work.

The view from here looks pretty good.  Mostly.  I think I must redefine enough, for myself and my family, given the fact that our society has become virtually incapable of defining enough these days, in our quest for more, bigger and better.  Perhaps enough really only needs to mean that the Life we've chosen is fulfilling.  In that case, I can be pretty proud, and content with what we've got going on.

Whether we're on a jaunt through the forest...

...a huckleberry picking mission...

...practicing some sweet moves...

...or just me, sitting and watching and letting them be kids...

(and perhaps getting a few rows knitted in the meantime.)

These kids are happy.  So I must assume that maybe, it just might be, enough.

This thing I do. 

The view from here is pretty sweet.