"Labor" Day

Nan: What are we doing today?
Me: Cleaning up the basement.
Nan: But it’s Labor Day.
Jason: That is labor.
The weekend started off with a few major disappointments. Rain. Need I say more? What was going to be Friday night at a dance in Nephi for me and at BYU for Jason, both supposed to be outside, turned into stress hoping the gear wouldn’t get rained on. I ended up indoors, but Jason not so lucky spent the whole night not only trying to mix music, but watching the clouds and the internet for any sign of rain. The last seconds of putting the gear away was ended with drops of rain that turned into a down pour once he left the field at BYU. FEW!

Needless to say, the camping trip that was planned for the weekend was shelved. Saturday turned into a trip to Home Depot to find parts to replace some lights in the garage, hoping to lower our electric bill, followed by a deep cleaning of the garage and putting up new, L.E.D, can lights.

  Then, of course Sunday started by mad dash to get ready for me and getting kids up and going while I went to an 8:30 meeting. Followed by finding shoes and black socks for Sam, pulling Steph’s hair up into a quick pony, ironing, and a sprint to Sacrament meeting.

But then…well then there were the great moments in between that stand out. Always in chaos there is something amazing that makes everything worth it. Like the rain…yes I said the rain. That same rain that ruined our camping trip also turned into a massive down pour and gutters filled to flowing running down our street. And when you live where we do, on a hill, that turns into mini rivers, and lots of wet kids, young and old, splashing through puddles.

That was Saturday in and amongst all the garage cleaning. Then Sunday, after church and before the best phone call from Luke, was taking off the toper from the little grey truck. Loading it to overflowing with seven bikes, and driving to the top of Bear Canyon. We left the suburban below and coasted about 3 or 4 miles down the most amazingly beautiful canyon road.

Now today, Labor Day, we are all laboring at my house in amongst the groans and moans. All so I don’t get stuck with the unbearable mess tomorrow while kids are off at school. Jason is finishing the graduation videos for the High School that need to be done. I just finished washing counters, sweeping floors, hanging clothes, picking up dirty ones, and cleaning my own filthy room. But this afternoon, as a family, we will sit down and watch Hunger Games that we just bought (possibly Sam and Steph the Lorax in the other room so we don’t scar them for life,) and all the “labor” and the disappointment will be mixed with one more of many great memories.