on the banks of plum creek

as the school year starts to wind down, i realize that another time in our lives is about to pass.  and that is the ever coveted tuesday at home.  i have been so fortunate to have a job that would even consider letting me stay home with my boys one day a week.  i have really loved having one on one time with beans.  and i have equally loved being in sweet pea's first grade class on tuesday mornings.  today i had the best reading group ever with the boys.  followed by a heart busting rendition of "lean on me" by one of the kids in the class.  sweet pea's teacher said he brings her to tears every day. 

i made it home from first grade just in time to pack up a picnic lunch for beans and i to share down at the creek.  we live in this special kind of place where if you tell someone that you had lunch by the beaver dam, they know exactly where.  and even though everyone knows where the beaver dam is.  when you're there it seems like you have it all to yourself.  and you have found the most secret, undiscovered piece of property in the world.  we took the puppy.  that dog would not let beans out of his sight.  they shared a ham sandwich (not by beans choice).  and gussy threw himself the stick in the water a hundred times and then sprinted to catch it. 

the only time they left each other's side was when beans headed up the hill without us.  and it was troublesome to gus.  he was full of worry and dismay.  and when he laid eyes on his boy again, there was much wimpering and licking, and promises to never let beans get so far ahead.  ever.  again.