Together

Saturday found my house filled, kids everywhere, crumbs and sippy cups littering the floors.  A simple bbq, 4 families, 10 kids and 8 adults, and the families are growing, the presence of 3 more beginning to show in the rounded bellies of my friends.

And yet, despite the chaos, the noise, the rain that kept us from being able to spill outdoors there was something beautiful.  Being in this together.  Watching other moms and dads wipe faces and clean up spills and stop another head from getting banged by some toy.  Conversations that stopped and started depending on kids needs.

Building memories.  During the loading of dishwasher I escaped to see what was happening in the girls room.   Sprawled on the floor were the oldest 4 girls, breaking from their princess play to colour.

Watching them giggle, talk, form friendships.

Having a bursting house that was rather small for all these people, making the most despite the rain.

And finally, when the coffee pot was on and the dinner plates tucked back away, bowls filled with popcorn and movie put on, we hoped for a bit of uninterrupted adult conversation.

Which, by the way worked only for the oldest 4 who watched Horton Hears a Who rather intently, the 4 oldest ones who would have kept themselves busy regardless of a movie.  The little ones found sitting for a movie rather boring and so our conversations remained scattered.  There is chaos when there is a gathering of more kids than adults.  This stage, it is fleeting and these kids will grow, and when we look back on pictures like this we'll laugh and remember what it was like being all together.