No Ranting, Lots of Railing

After running errands with me this afternoon for a hundred hours (or three) (hours not hundreds) the kids discovered the train track set in the living room.  It had been relocated after a long period of "hiding" under another table in our schoolroom/playroom.  Because of its previous lodging, it had suffered neglect for ages, abandoned for other more accessible toys, and through no fault of its own. 

But today, today the railroad tracks saw the light of day again.  Today the tracks were handled with eager hands, busy hands, constructive hands.  Today the tracks emerged from a dark place of desertion, from their disregarded state, from being ignored and overlooked, and with victory and glory and dignity once again, they were laid down.

The real beauty of this construction lies in the peaceful development of the track between the head engineers, who otherwise can be real head-butters when it comes to designing something of this magnitude (or choosing who gets what scissors, or who gets to stand on what chair in the kitchen-I don't have stools, just little chairs-or who gets out of the car first...).

They made a whole town, populated by people, animals, trees, and buildings.

They were thrilled with their handiwork, and I must say, so was I. 

An evening of such calm and creative interaction gives me such happiness that I cannot express it properly.  I cherish these moments as a mom, watching my kids getting along so sweetly, so contentedly, so cooperatively.  I hope that they will remember these happy times too, with joy, when they are older.