late yesterday afternoon...

we had some dark clouds come in...

but those weren't the ones that rained on us...

it was these...

but this is all we got...

I love when it rains and the sun is shining...

big, cold drops...

but it didn't last long...

and Robbie was glad...

he is not a water dog...

and the sun shone for just a little bit....

and Doug came up for supper...

and we had our potato soup and ham & cheese sandwiches...

toasted in the oven while the cake was baking...

and then we sat outside for a bit....

but DH and I wimped out and came back in...

and the guys grabbed the football...

and the yard was once again filled with boys and critters...

and I sat at the kitchen window and I watched my boys play...

and thought of all the days that I had watched them play together...

when the yard was always full of kids...

and I thought that it would never matter how many plants or trees we plant...

or how many things we put in the yard...

that the best thing that will ever adorn my yard...

is my kids tossing a football back and forth...

and hopefully later...

my grand kids will take their place...

and when they were finished...

we all had ice cream and cake...

then I packed up some food and my son went back home...

it started thundering as he left and then it rained enough for puddles...

and DH made the statement...

as we were going to bed...

how could he be 30 already?

where did all the time go?

and how empty the yard is most days now...

and how I miss the swing set and tree house...

and the giggles and the fights...

and dirty faces and muddy bath water...

and little boys in little pajamas....

falling asleep before their heads hit their pillows...

only to wake up and do it all again the next day...

30 years of loving this boy have gone by so fast...

and I have enjoyed it so much...