Adventure

Yesterday I babysat for 2 children that I've known for years. The little guy has always been my buddy. Quick to hug and snuggle, and would rather hang out with me in the house than go play with the neighborhood kids. The girl was never a huge fan of me. She liked me okay, but would definitely rather play than sit cooped up with me reading a book!

 I arrived at their house in the early morning, and little guy stood straight as I hugged him. My heart sank, "Too old for hugs?" I asked. After only a few minutes of catching up with me, they left to go play with their friends.

I sat in the living room, reading Bloom (read it, it's amazing), and waited for them to come back. And come back they did! They invited me to come play with them, and check out their fort. I've never been so glad to have my camera with me.

 What these kids have created is not a fort. It's a world! They each have forts that look like this one, tall enough for me to stand in, complete with kitchens and shelves for their trinkets, all of which they find in the woods.

 And it wouldn't be complete without a swing! A swing, i might add, that they made all by themselves.

 After we spent some time in the "fort," we hiked to an abandoned house that they found (don't worry, we had parental permission ;), which had all kinds of magazines and paperwork from the 60's.

 And every time they come back from an adventure, they meet in the circle and show each other what they found.

I couldn't believe the creativity of these kids. They don't spend their days watching TV and playing video games...they go outside and create towns in their backyards. They explore the woods and find treasure. This is what childhood should look like.