The Gift of a Playdate

This afternoon, squirmy baby in hand, I was bounding into the doors of preschool to pick up my four-year old daughter, Kate.

When, out of the clear blue, another mother asked if it would be okay if Kate came to their home to spend THREE whole hours with her daughters.  She would feed her lunch AND drive her.

I stood in shock.  "Yes, Yes, Yes! Thank you!"  This concept will seem ludicrous to most of you who swap play outings with your friends' kiddos.  But for us, having three children at different ages can make orchestrating a play date that will work for everyone challenging.  So, we tend to stick to our own routine and call it good.

After feeding the baby and laying her down for a nap, my mind began racing, do I shower...do laundry...clean out the closet...get a head start on dinner...or do I grab the afghan, the remnants of the Sunday New York Times and quietly fall asleep?  And, I'm certain you can imagine what I chose to do.

The gift of hosting someone's children so that they can have time to simply 'be' is invaluable.  I feel refreshed, grateful, and ready to greet the squeals and craziness of a full house.  Amen.