Friday Favorites

Fridays have never been better than they are here in london.  it's one of our favorite days.  it's the beginning of the weekend which is obvious.  but it's also a fun-filled day for us as a family.  heath sleeps in just a tiny bit later so that he can help me take the kids to school.  we all love this.  the kids are super stoked that they get to show off their daddy to all their friends and their teachers.  and i'm even more super stoked that i have an extra set of hands to help me get the kids on and off the double decker bus and crossing the busy streets.  not to mention that i get, at least, an extra half-hour to see him that morning.  yes, it's the start to a great day!

once the kids are in school, echo and i kiss daddy goodbye and take a leisurely walk back home.  we don't rush, we don't fuss, we just walk home in the cool, crisp london air.  cars are rushing by, buses are blowing past, dogs are being walked, children are walking to school...it is pure  entertainment.  echo and i stop off to grab a cup of coffee and a breakfast treat that we share once we get home.  the treat, not the coffee, that is.  we lay around and play around.  we put on shoes and go to the park or go to a little music class at our local library.  it's simple and it's fun.  it's easy.  it's almost relaxing.  the big city is buzzing all around and we're just in the background of it all, doing our thing.  doing pretty much nothing.

echo goes down for a short nap on fridays and we pick up the kids early at 2:45.  early release every friday, gotta love it.  i have made it a routine to "surprise" the kids with their scooters every friday afternoon.  and they always yell and scream for joy when we get out of the school and they see their scooters.  they KNOW what it means.  they get to RIDE home from school!  but before we do, we've made it part of our routine to stop off at a little club house, grab a snack (or eat one that i've packed) and go to a little local playground.  it's a really small playground that is gated and everyone inside the gates are mothers and their children from our school.  reese, maddox and zane quickly find their friends and run off to go play.  what amazes me, is echo runs right after them and begins to play too.  no hesitation.  no reservation.  just goes.  full speed ahead.  and she doesn't look back.  

my oldest three have always been really good about the "mommy check-in".  they run, they play, they do their thing.  but they always run over to me after a few minutes as if to check-in.  to say hello.  to tattle on the other one.  something.  some reason that they need to come over to me.  echo never even looks over my way.  it's funny.  such a independent little thing.

one day during this play time, i told one of the mothers that echo was SO independent.  i was both happy and sad about this.  she is independent to the point that she acts as though she doesn't need me.  or want me.  at times.  i am both impressed and confused by the way that echo does what she does.  her strength.  her bravery.  it's like nothing i've ever seen.  the mother and i were on to another conversation when, out of no where, the mother said, "hey, mistye"....and when i looked up.  i saw echo coming our way.  she was looking right at me.  all she did was come over, lay her head on my lap, then crawled up to sit by me for a split second, literally up, then down...and she was off to go play again.  my "check-in".  she'd done it.  she'd needed the reassurance that i was still waiting, still watching.  she was assured, and away she went.  i love my fridays.





after the kids have played for about an hour (or more) we scooter home.  they love it.  we always come home with scrapped knees, runny noses, dirty clothes, muddy hands and shoes, and at least two really whiney children.  we are all usually exhausted beyond belief.  we clean up, rest and wait for daddy to come home and go out for dinner.  and a lot of times after a really great dinner....comes some really great ice cream!  a really fun way to end a great day.

these fridays will be the memories that i will look back on in 2, 5, 10 years and DREAM of getting to do them again.  i will relive them in my head a million times.  having four young children, a busy life, living in a big city and getting to experience this together with heath.  these fridays teach me to relish my time here.  to enjoy the simplicity of what is offered.  there are so many things to do and see and go.  but i'll remember most these favorite fridays.  

These are the days of the endless summer

These are the days, the time is now

There is no past, there’s only future

There’s only here, there’s only now

Oh your smiling face, your gracious presence

The fires of spring are kindling bright

Oh the radiant heart and the song of glory

Crying freedom in the night

These are the days by the sparkling river

His timely grace and our treasured find

This is the love of the one magician

Turned the water into wine

These are days of the endless dancing and the

Long walks on the summer night

These are the days of the true romancing

When I’m holding you oh, so tight

These are the days by the sparkling river

His timely grace and our treasured find

This is the love of the one great magician

Turned water into wine

These are the days now that we must savour

And we must enjoy as we can

These are the days that will last forever

You’ve got to hold them in your heart.   -Van Morrison