tomatoes, peppers, & some target practice too.

Dear boys, 

There are so many things to love about where we live.  So, so many.  I don't know if you really understand or not how much space you have to play in comparison to most everyone else in your world, but it's a lot.

You can run, you can jump, you can play, you can throw ... you can do just about anything and everything where we live, and there isn't anyone to tell you to stop being so loud or to quit having so much fun.  There are no cars to watch out for, and no rules to obey (well, maybe there are a few).  One thing you'll find for certain as you step out of our house is a whole lot of life waiting to be lived.

Recently we were given a large box of tomatoes.  Tomatoes are not your favorite things to eat, but you do enjoy the salsa that I've learned to make and can.  Anyway, sometimes too much of a good thing can be more work than it's worth, and while we strive to teach you not to be wasteful, some things just need to be thrown out.  The box of tomatoes that I didn't get to fast enough is one of them.

I've never signed you up for baseball, and only just this past summer and the one before, did you really get the whole concept of catching and throwing anything.

Our life is full.  Full of opportunities for you to explore, and work, and use your imaginations.  The box of almost-rotten tomatoes gave you something that no boys in the city would ever experience.

Target practice - tomato style.

No matter what you do, or what you play - while you strive to be better at who you are and what you do - remember that target practice with tomatoes is what life is about - taking that which you have an abundance of and making the most of it.

This life you live with wide-open-spaces isn't something everyone experiences.  In fact, many wish they could be you - even just for a day.  The good news is, you know you're blessed ... and that's worth everything.

With thanks for all you are and all you are becoming, 

Mom