Think inside the box

    If Sweetness and the kids and I were all forced to spend three days locked in our bedroom we would be stir crazy.  But put us in a twenty four foot camper on top of each other and we all have silly grins on our faces and can't get enough of each other.  Our little box on wheels is a box worth being in.  The smell of Off mixed with campfires, BBQ, and sweaty kids is  intoxicating.  Eating simple food, and sitting around enjoying each other's company is heaven.
   I have seen Turner grow before my eyes this weekend.  We were fishing and instead of waiting for Papa to bait his hook he did it himself.  He then took his own perch off the hook.  My sweet baby boy can now walk down to the edge of the lake with his fishing pole and a bucket of worms and fish all by himself.  Watching him take the perch in his hands made my heart race.  It was such a proud moment and I got to share it with my Sweetness.  Turner is racing down the road speeding towards manhood.  He is no longer a child waiting for help, he does so many things by himself.  I see him walk beside his father and watch as the gap between them narrows.  He's growing up before or eyes.  He'll be a man's man just like his Papa. 
    Sweet Tater is roaring down her own path.  She's now a competent swimmer, with no floaties.  It scares me to watch her, to be forced to let go a little at a time as she grows and needs me less.  So far this summer has started off full of bliss.  My children haven't fought much, Sweetness has been home every weekend and what some would consider boring has been the most enjoyable routine I could imagine. 
    I want time to slow down.  I want this stage to last longer.  I want to stretch this out and make it last forever.  The kids are self sufficient enough that I no longer feel as pulled at by babies and toddlers.  They are at such fun ages and I can still hold the world back from them for a while.  Life is not easy exactly, but it is so rich and so good right now that my heart is bursting.  I better get back to paying attention to my crew, I don't want to miss a second.  I wanted to write this down so I would remember the weekend my boy learned to fish like a man and my girl jumped in the water and swam. I'm going to go soak up the last day of being inside our box.