For cousins and scooters and wheelbarrows of leaves – giving thanks

It was Saturday evening, and the Schrocks (the ones that still live here) were converging at Dad Schrock’s place for a bit of patio roof repair before the onset of winter.  Out back, the girlies had raked up a circle of leaves and were playing fort.  The boys were watching Notre Dame skunk the Broncos, and Uncle Quinn was up the ladder and working on the roof where my own Mr. Schrock joined him.

Here, on Multitude Monday, are some sweet snapshots of one lovely fall evening with the family gathered around:

– Little surrounded by his girl cousins who morph into mother hens the minute he appears.  He, of course, is more than willing to be ‘mothered.’
– The four of them leaping with giggles and big, bright eyes into a pile of leaves just beneath a low-hanging roof.
– Another flurry of raking and hauling with Grandpa’s wheelbarrow, Little plopped in the middle.
– Gasps from the mamas as the wheelbarrow lurches at the hands of inexperienced little drivers.
– The incomparable smell of grilling meat with the King of the Grill, Dad Schrock, presiding.
– Lighthearted laughter and banter from the men on the roof.
– Boy cousins sailing down the hill on Grandpa’s old-fashioned scooter, the kind with big wheels and air-filled tires.
– More gasps from aunties as a niece sails down the hill on the scooter, braids flying and one sneaker dragging.  She’s too busy smiling and shouting at us standing on the porch there to watch where she’s going.  “Steer into the grass!” I shout, sighing with relief when she slows to a stop without incident.  There is, I suspect, far less rubber now on that one braking foot.
– A line of hungry cousins, loading their plates with grilled ‘dogs and burgers, appearing all too soon for seconds.
– Common, ordinary conversation around the table with the other adults.  Laughter flows as we catch up on our lives.
– Shouts of “Goodbye!” and “Thanks again!” ringing out in the nighttime cool.

For these things, and more, I give thanks today.