I love a rainy day!

Ahhh!! It is rainy outside, and it is not just sprinkling. . . No, it is my favorite kind of rain. You know those afternoon thundershowers with distant rolling thunder and calm soothing, soul cleansing rain. I am at peace. I don't like violent storms with scary lightening. We lived in Florida for one year, and it was that year that I developed a healthy fear of lightening.

Today's kind of rain is ideal. It started rainy as we finished our lunch. By the time I got the boys upstairs to put them down for their naps, the rain and rolling thunder had begun and it was almost as dark as night in their rooms. I sang to both boys at the same time today. Holding James Christofer, I sang standing beside Joshua's bed where he lay, eyes closed, under the covers. It was perfectly peaceful, a soothing prelude to sleep. And, now that they are asleep, I am enjoying a cup of hot coffee with French Vanilla Creamer, of course, in front of my computer. Does life get better than this? For me, this is a dream afternoon.

I don't know why I love rainy days so much, but for as long as I can remember, I have. I tend to be a little Type A, so maybe it is simply that I don't feel compelled to overachieve on rainy days. I am content to sit back and enjoy the sound of the rain and thunder. Some of my favorite memories of Joshua's first year are of sitting on the front porch rocking him to sleep while it rained. Rain does something to my soul. It awakens a peace within me. It makes me slow down and rest. I rarely go out on rainy days - with children that is just a messy experience I avoid if at all possible. So, rainy days are slow, stay at home days, and I love them!

We have a large pond in our back yard, and I love to watch the raindrops hit the top of the water. At first when it is just beginning to rain, each drop causes ripples on the pond. Then, as the rain pours down the pond erupts into millions of small splashes covering nearly every inch of the pond. Our home is surrounded on three sides by woods, so I love to watch the rain and wind move the through the trees. And, for some reason the deer and turkey come out when it is raining. My boys love to watch the wild animals walk through our backyard.

I promise, I am not a depressed or lonely person, but I do love rainy days. Like a dry plant, something about the rain revives me, and it just feels good. My boys love the rain, too. But, this is because I let them play in the puddles outside the front door from time to time. This is a win/win situation. They get to splash and play together while I get to rock, relax, and enjoy the rain.

On a lighter note, Joshua informed me of a weather phenomenon that I was not previously aware of. . . This morning he informed me that rain was "when God tinkles." I tried to explain to him that God was spirit, and He doesn't have to tinkle. . . but I don't think he got it.