Hearts in the rain

February 7

Why is it dark again? And raining. I've got to get us out here earlier. But my girls don't mind. "No shoes!" announces my little one. Ah, I think, you are so strong. I do love that about you. I nod, pick up her boots and we step out onto the wet cold front step. "Ahhh!" she says trying to pick her little bare feet up off the cold at the same time. I offer her boots, she accepts.

 "Oh, mud!" says my first grader as she heads to her favorite spot. "You're the Mama Wolf," she announces and runs off. Her little sister speeds after her. They run and stand on base. I pretend to not see them and howl at the sky. The flood lights are not on this evening, maybe we are getting used to playing in the dark. The drizzle coats us and I see drips slowly form on my little ones long wild hair.

As we head inside I pause to take a photo of the heart decoration on the door. "Take a picture with me and the hearts," says my little one. "Me too!" joins in my six year old. This is a moment I won't need a photo to remember. My girls, wet and smiling, holding each other and a pair of hearts.