Blue Skies and Broom Sticks

Tonight I stared up at an open, bright blue sky. I felt loose, calm, relaxed and proud for making this night happen for myself.

I took an outdoor yoga class which was a mix of Vinyasa and Relaxation. At the close of the class I felt completed rejuvenated. When the teacher asked us to focus on one positive thing we could take away from the class, I knew what it was. Not just the fact that my tight neck, back and hips were finally home again, centered where they should be, but the gift of being able to enjoy this beautiful summer night and ponder over all my many blessings as I focused on breathing deep into the hollow of my belly.

Thank you for my health, my family, my husband, my children, my home, and my good friends.

Much to the chagrin of my husband, my littles have a fascination with the Wizard of Oz since Emerson's party few months ago. It is frequently a topic of discussion within the walls of our home and even presents itself outside in forms of Tin Man and Wicked Witch impersonations.

(His favorite teacher at camp dressed up as Dorothy for Fantasy Costume Day when she heard he was going to be the Witch. She made his day and he couldn't stop smiling when I picked him up at the end of camp.)

 (Chalk drawing courtesy of our girl Kathleen.)

(Hunter mixing his "Witches Brew"--aka chocolate milk and 
green food coloring.)

When their music teacher recently suggested that we "must" go see an upcoming outdoor performance of the classic movie, I wasted no time in purchasing tickets.

I wondered if my newly two-year old who typically is not a fan of sitting still would last. She sat mesmerized throughout the entire production.

(We all wore themed outfits of course. Well....all but one of us.)

(I think Daddy was more excited than he looked.)

After the close of the show, Hunter eagerly awaited meeting his favorite character. It was obvious that the woman who played the Wicked Witch was so touched that Hunter wanted to meet her. She told us that most children were scared of her so this was a first.

It touches my heart that my littles love my own childhood favorite movie as much as I do. Even though its not our typical educational dvd that we watch in our home, I treasure the small lessons within that it has taught me.

Recently, we had a scare when Hunter took a big fall. 

As I held my scared little boy in my arms and tried my best to comfort him, he pulled back and excitedly said, "I was like the Scarecrow! I fell and was saying 'whoa! whoa!' (as he imitates the Scarecrow flailing his arms about) but then, like him, I get right back up!"

I smiled because he had taken something positive away from this special movie. He learned that although we will fall many times, just like the Scarecrow, we can get back up again.

He also reminded me of another lesson in all that. If you remember, the Scarecrow didn't do it on his own. He had the help of his friends.

*Thank you Kathleen for staying an extra hour and walking a typically-calm-but-very-cranky-today baby so I could make tonight happen.

*Thank you Sari for our spontaneous salad dates where we can dish about our days and walk away seeing the positive in them.

*Thank you Roxanne for saying yes when I reached out for help and giving me some much needed meals and rest.

*Thank you Debra for always having a sense of humor so we can laugh about laboring beautiful, sweet, compassionate kids who also hit, bite and push.

...and have a need for nude picnics.

*And thank you Merri for always teaching a rocking yoga class. My legs felt like wet noodles when I left and I loved it!

“Can't you give me brains?" asked the Scarecrow.

"You don't need them. You are learning something every day. 
A baby has brains, but it doesn't know much. 
Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get."

-L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Keep going, keep growing and only stop along the way to ponder the blessings.