Laughter

(Caden, Spencer, Jacob, Zachary, Zach)

Caden asked me last week if he could invite some of his friends for a pool party. We got all ready, had confirmations from all four friends, and ultimately had to cancel 30 minutes later. Caden got a fever just one day after Shelby (I guess this is how it will always be- Shelby shares her sickness with Caden) that took him downhill pretty quick. To say I wasn't terrified for him the whole day would be a lie. 

Every day after he felt better, he'd ask if he could try again. I could never have guessed it would make me so happy to take five 13-14 year old boys to the pool!! 

We picked up Zach Graves first. When we got to Jacob Kreutz's house, they both got out. When we got to Zachary Bagley's, all three got out. And finally, when we got to Spencer Hammond's, all four got out, rang the doorbell, and laid on the porch. The laughter that could be heard from the car was only the beginning. It would be a afternoon full of laughter!

Since it was noon when I picked them up, I went to Papa Johns around the corner and grabbed a pizza for them. It's funny to me that they all said they weren't that hungry, but they finished that pizza in five minutes flat. Just a sample of how my life is going to be in the near future. 

As I sat on a lawn chair by the side of the pool (how embarrassing if Mom would have actually swam!) I listened for only one sound above all others- Caden's laugh. We've had so much fun the last month, but there is just something different about a child's laughter when they are with friends!

So, even though I am not ready to let them go, I can't wait for school to start on the 26th, either.  Because even though I will miss them all like crazy, I want more laughter like that in their lives. 

As a side note: I was crying to Randy, telling him how I am just not ready, when Tyson crawled into my lap, wiped my tear-streaked cheeks, and said, "Don't be sad, Mommy. You still have your Tyson here!" It only softened the sting a teensy bit. Kindergarten registration is not going to be fun!!