Remembering Why

Last night, James came home from work and said he'd like to take a drive after dinner.

Homework was done and we were just hanging out after piano lessons, so I said, "sure."

While the kids played, my Boy and I chopped fresh veggies for salsa, 

smashed some avocados for guacamole 

and made quesadillas out of leftover chicken fajitas he grilled this weekend.  

And we talked about his birthday, and family, and our days, 

and his Grandma's birthday (it was yesterday, even though she's no longer here to celebrate with us).  

Then we sat down at the table (covered in my Grandma's green-checked tablecloth) together, 

gave thanks for our many blessings, 

ate a healthy dinner on paper plates (no time for dishes, we had a drive to get to), 

and talked about our days.  

Our kids are tired after spring break, so there was some whining at the table--and 

more than a few reminders to eat their salsa or guacamole, not just quesadillas and Julio's.  :)

After dinner, everyone pottied and grabbed shoes and we hit the road.  

Of course Daddy grabbed his camera, "just in case."  Uh huh.

And then we drove.

And we talked.

And we looked at all of the gorgeous wildflowers.

And we listened to the kids talking and reading in the backseat 

(and answered more than we cared to, "where are we GOING?" or "how much longer??").

And we were reminded of why:

Why we gave up my steady job and paycheck.

Why we moved away from everything familiar, including our family.

Why we live the way we live.

Why we believe what we believe.

Why it's important to be so intentional about these kids we're building.  

Why we're HERE.

It was just a Tuesday evening.

But oh, what a Tuesday evening it was.