Letter to my children: Hay jumping

Dearest Beloveds,

Recently Dragaon and I were driving along some country road and admiring a surfeit of round hay bales. Many acres of fields were shorn yet all of the bales were concentrated on one field.

“Momma! Look how close those haybales are! If they were closer I could jump between them.”

“Yes, you certainly could, that is very true. Would you take a running leap or try to bounce like a bunny?”

“Bounce like a bunny.”

“Of course you would.”

A few days later we dropped off Bean at the bus and were slowly meandering back to warm tea and our morning routine. I looked over and stopped walking.

“Dragon.”

“Hmmmm.”

“What do you think about bouncing on those hay bales?”

Your gaze, which had been focused on watching how much grass you could flatten with your stick, snapped over to my pointing finger.

“Momma!” The stick went flying and your body hurled itself at the tall scratchy bale. And you bounced off.

Undeterred, you backed up and tried again.

Come on Dragon, use your Parkour skills.

A few breathless moments later, you stood on the bale. Triumphant, king of the hill, you gazed over your domain. Then you quickly started bouncing from one bale to the next.

Two days later, we cheered Bean as she exited the bus. We welcomed her to a dulcet winter day of early sundown and the final gasps of green foliage.

“Bean, come and hay bounce with me!”

“What?”

“Come on!” Dragon launched himself atop a bale.

Dropping her bookbag, Bean quickly followed.

“Chase me!”

“You chase me!”

Around and around and over

and around and falling between

and laughing and jumping

and bouncing and joy

and glory

and life

and bouncing.

It is my honor and privilege to be your momma. Thank you both.