CVSD: Day 17

We moved into our current house a little over six years ago. One of the things we love about our neighborhood is that there is a park in the center and we have taken full advantage of it from the beginning. The park is about three acres with a small playground (including an old-school metal merry-go-round), a huge grassy field, a baseball diamond, and a small portion of woods with trails that the kids love.

In our early years here, I was always a little dismayed that so few people seemed to take advantage of the park. Maybe it was because everyone's kids were too small to shoo out the door. Or maybe it was an over-dependence on electronics for kids. Or schedules that were overly full. We have felt the pull of electronics and sports and scheduled activities too, but have still tried to make space every day to be outside.

In January we actually had a talk with our kids about priorities. It came out that the kids would rather spend the spring days camping and riding dirt bikes and bikes than signing up for spring sports. Praise the Lord, because that is what Daniel and I were hoping for our family as well.

Fast forward to mid-March. The country is in the beginning (?)  of social isolating, and sports for everyone have been cancelled. Our plans for camping are currently on hold (we had reservations at a state park for the first weekend in April that have been cancelled by the park), but we are enjoying spending big portions of every day outside. Mostly together.

Since the social isolating has started we have noticed a huge increase of kids riding their bikes at the park and in the neighborhood. Families are out walking. We are chatting with neighbors (from a safe distance of 6+ feet away).

Last night our boys slept in forts they built out of cushions on our back deck. I sat outside with them until they fell asleep. We listened to families who were shooting hoops together and laughing around campfires together. We are all apart but somehow still together.