Time To Build An Ark?

It is very persistently raining here. Lots of rain pouring down for hours and hours. I think it rained all night and then this morning it was still raining. All this rain is not usual, but the darkness and lowness of the sky feels quite familiar - more familiar than the sunny crisp days we've had this fall. I somewhat reluctantly, very wetly piled into the mini-van with Lucy and Jasper, making our way through the puddles to school. Lucy's teachers decided they would, in spite of the rain, take the kids on their usual walk to Woodland Park. Apparently the kids had fun splashing through enormous puddles and throwing debris into rushing streams of water; parents had huge bags of wet clothing to take home as souvenirs of their adventures. Lucy was particularly enthusiastic, according to teacher Mary, about getting almost fully submerged in a large deep puddle. This will surprise no one who knows her.

Meanwhile, I took Jasper to wait out the morning at Whole Foods. We were both drenched from being outside in the play yard at school. We meandered through the store, did our shopping and then sat in the cafe area with an enormous burrito, a bowl of green peas and kombucha. I flipped through a magazine, Jasper and I ate and looked outside the window at the street. I was feeling warmed up at last and really quite content, when Jasper looked over at me and said "I'm happy." And I was reminded of my Uncle Tom (Annie's dad) who once told me that if his kids are happy, he's happy. And I thought, yes, that is how it is from here on out, isn't it?