So apparently I took the summer off blogging without even realizing it. Summers in Minnesota are really too glorious to miss anyway, so it all worked out.

Recently life has been handing me lessons on contentment over and over and over and over. And over again. This is good because I'm really bad at getting it the first time.

Yesterday I had the most amazing day with my boys and there was literally nothing special about it. We hung out at home until after lunch. Then we ran some errands, including grocery shopping, mailing packages at the post office and dropping off a bag of clothing at Goodwill. Contentment is what made yesterday stand out.

After waiting in line at the post office (what was I thinking going in on a Monday?), we took some time to blow off steam. The line was long and the boys were preternaturally patient. There is a lovely stretch of grass right next to the post office dotted with trees. Dino Boy recognized this as the perfect place to run between the trees and the flag pole. Dino Baby saw this as a great place to chew on rocks and eat grass. I saw this as an opportunity to be in the moment.

And this is what contentment to me really means. Me being in the moment and just loving where I am and who I am with, exactly the way they are with no thought for what comes next or the baggage I carry with me from the past. No questioning if I'm a good enough mom. No wondering if we'll be moving again soon. No fear about the isolation of another Minnesota winter. No thought of financial worries, relationship worries; no worries at all.

Dino Boy started a game where he would run away from me to the tree and then come hurtling back toward me with his hands outstretched. My job was to catch him as he tackled me to the ground. Dino Baby thought this was the most fun game he has ever played in his short life. We all laughed heartily many times.

I need more of these moments in my life because they keep me from being crazy Mom. When I am present in the moment and content with myself, my situation and the other people around me, I do not rush anyone through anything in an effort to please someone else or myself. I do not parent according to strangers' dictates. I do not do anything but love people and myself, and there is nothing better than that type of contentment.

I will hold yesterday in my heart forever as a perfect example of what my life could be like if I just let it happen. And since I was so present and in the moment, I took no pictures. Here are a couple from a less content day at the apple orchard. We still had fun even if I spent a portion of the day ticked off that Dino Boy had a huge blow out and I forgot the back up shirt. Oh, well. It's still a beautiful memory.