color my world

It was an ordinary day with a splash of color

A quiet morning. The stillness broken by a little voice, a demanding little voice, "Mama, I need you!" "And I need you too," I whispered in her ear as she snuggled in my arms, her curly mop tickling my nose.

A hot day. The sort of hot that makes me wonder what life felt like before air conditioning. I love these hot summer days. I wait for them all winter long. But our castle on the hill has a direct view of the sun, its blazing heat merciless. We escape the fate of our hapless grass and retreat to our chilly villa.

A restless child. Held fast in the grip of the same four walls, her mind schemes of new opportunities for fun. Toys, even new ones, no longer hold the magic they once did.

A creative mama. Held fast in the grip of the same four walls, her mind works in defense against the plans of a restless and mischief loving 3 year old while trying to accomplish the tasks of the day.

Many messes later....

A box of paint. A plastic tablecloth. A stack of paper. A hand full of paintbrushes. A creative little mind. A whole jar of paint dumped in her lap. A creative mama trying to direct a paint covered child into the bathroom for cleaning up. A plethora of painted handprints on the walls from the dining room into the bathroom. A good laugh about it all.

And she colors my world.

She brings me "presents" from the gardens.

"Here, mama," she says, her smile as bright as the stems

 she clutches with muddy fingers,"I picked these just for you."

And my heart melts.

.