Mud.

Does anything say summer fun for a boy more than playing in the mud? It is not often when it happens and I'm not ever in charge when it does. But when these little boys are with their daddy, they are sure to have some sort of boyish adventure.

This was in Florence back in June. We were staying with our friends, the Emerts. And there had just been a big storm that left puddles of curiosity and adventure.

The men were outside. The women were inside. The boys went outside and began their adventure in their nice clothes. My boys' daddy encouraged them to go out and see what they could find.


Jude Emert (17 mo) had never experienced this kind of wet, dirty fun.
He loved it.
My boys shirts came off.

The dogs even participated in the search for critters.
Yep. I said critters.
Critters. Frogs, lizards, any kind of life they could find living in these puddles.

Olivia came out to see.
But really didn't see what the fun was.
Courtney and I completely understood her confusion.
She shared a few courtesy smiles. And laughs.

They found frogs.
Wes found 1 for Wyatt. And 1 for Walker.
Even Jude wanted to hold them.

Olivia did not.
The mommies did not.

But the smiles that this kind of fun produced in my boys was well worth the muddy mess.
I really value my husband's view of experience, adventure and the way he urges them to seek this kind of fun (that somehow clicks and makes sense to them).
I even appreciate that it doesn't make sense to me.
Because that is how the Lord created us differently.
And it's beautiful.

"He created them male and female and He blessed them."
Genesis 5:2