hide and seek

i grew up loving children.
my mom had a loving heart
for all children...
and their parents.
it wasn't unusual for us to bring home
someones child after church
just for the afternoon, to give the 
parents a break. 
we were headed back to evening
church, so it was a few hours
we got to love on and play with 
these kids.        

lately i've spent time with some 
great nieces and nephews.
in texas my sweet 8 yr old niece announced
she wanted me to sit beside her at dinner.
of course i would!
she was finished before me,
i sat and visited with her mom and
grandma a bit, while she popped in
and out checking on us.
soon i knew it was time to find Miss A.
i looked all over inside.
no.
then outside.
no.
where could she be?
come to find out we were both 
looking for each other and kept missing
one another.
hahah.
we ended up outside playing assorted
versions of catch.
she's much more athletic than
her old gray haired aunti,
but tolerated me well.
we laughed and giggled,
lots.
we even let her older brother play too.
the kids were really excited when
my brown-eyed-handsome-man 
came out to play. he could challenge
their skills which they loved.  

friday evening i had fun with more
greats.
these 3 are a full of energy. 
the youngest is 4 and the
oldest in kindergarten.
we played hide and seek at dads. 

2 of the 3 are young enough they 
struggle keeping quiet while hiding.
they giggle and wiggle with excitement.
no matter how many times
you hide in the same closet
they act like it's a new place
and finding or being found there 
is miraculous!
you can also hide in fun places
like on the bed, but
under the bedspread. your body
is very obvious but it takes them a bit to
'think outside the box'.
then of course
they must hide there next time!
the excitment in these bodies 
and joy on their faces
kept all 3 literally hopping 
like baby bunnies.   
 
bird and i had a blast!
i kept thinking how blessed
i am.

fyi
playing hide and seek with children 
is much more fun
than hide and seek with things i've
temporarily lost,
like my mind!