Togetherness

I'm flanked by 7-year-old Taury and Emily (top photo) and 12-year-old Trey and Emily in these photos taken Saturday just after the four of us picked nearly five pounds of red raspberries at Pontious Farm in White Heath, Illinois. It was a weekend of togetherness that began Friday evening.

I picked the boys up at their home and drove to the local grocery store where Emily met us. We shopped for ingredients for homemade pizzas. Trey taped most of the shopping trip using my Flip Video camera. I think he has a talent for it. He intuitively followed the action as it happened as well as videotaped shots that could be used as cut-aways in the editing process and he turned the camera on himself briefly to add narration. Below is his unedited video which he titled, "Shopping with Friends."



Emily guided the boys in making their pizza while I made our pizza.



Trey shared with us that he loves cooking. It's true. I remember the time he and I made veggie burgers, carrot sticks, french fries and smoothies for his siblings and we all sat around my dining room table and ate, talked and sang by candlelight. The candlelight was his idea. He struck the match and light the candle, too. Trey's good with sharing and helped Taury open the can of tomato sauce and watched over him as he used the sharp knife to cut the olives. We ate our pizzas by candlelight (his idea!).













After dinner, we drove to campus and attended a local talent show featuring high school students. There was lots of gospel singing as well as modern dance. We moved from the main floor to the balcony where the boys had a better view and could spread out. Except for a camera operator and a mother-daughter team, we were the only ones up there.

They took photos and video of the talent. Trey used a flat surface to steady his arm for videotaping and then his brother followed his lead. Below is a photo Trey took of his favorite act. I can feel the energy in it.



He and Taury also hid behind the seats and would pop up from behind them and take pictures. Trey explained that they were being "paparazzi." And they loved sliding down the smooth metal railing in the stairwell! By the time we got home it was 10pm. I tucked them into the twin bed in my spare bedroom and when I went to check on them, they were sound asleep.

Emily made breakfast for us all the next morning. Then it was off to the Urbana Farmer's Market. The kids had never been to one.


While there, they found a booth with two greyhounds. Trey and Taury love dogs. Every time they would see one, they would approach it. The owners of the greyhounds let the kids walk the dogs and feed them treats.


I'm grateful for having Taury and Trey in my life, Emily to share them with and them to share with Emily.

She and I were tired after raspberry picking and I dropped them home after our near 24-hour adventure together. It was a good tired from playing hard, being present and seeing the world through the curious and nearly inexhaustible eyes of children.