"Playing House"

    I stood in the laundry room, folding laundry.  I had the back door open to let in some fresh air.  I stood there listening to the kids play on the deck.  I love to listen to them play (when they are not fighting).  On this day day they had decided to play "House".  "House" is their new favourite game to play.  They rush home from school to play house, on the week-ends the day is spent "playing house".

    Their version of house is not your ordinary game of "house".  Grace takes on the role of boss of the game, and script writer.  She is the oldest and feels that she knows the best.  Riley is not one to take orders from anyone (that apple may not fall far from the tree).  She plays along if it suits her.  Rowan is easy going and does not seem to mind being bossed around, as long as he has a little say.  Elly, well she's Elly.

    Before the game begins each person must know their character.  A rough plot has been sketched.   It had been decided that Grace and Riley were Mothers.  They were both mothers and were also sisters.  Grace played much of the game with three baby dolls stuffed down her shirt, because she was pregnant with triplets, but didn't know it... yet.  Riley just had the one baby which she carried around in an old baby carrier.  Rowan is always "the dad", being the only boy.  Today there was no fighting over who's husband he would be, he was Riley's husband (he usually is).  Apparently this husband smoked sticks.  I'm not sure why he decided that the husband should smoke, as he does not even know anyone who smokes, but apparently his character smoked... sticks.  Elly was Grace's little girl, and spent much of the game just saying "moma".  Fergus would be Riley and Rowan's dog. The plot was someone complex, and akin to something from a soap opera.  I stood there spell struck, fighting back laughter.  Grace's babies kept kicking her something terrible.  Apparently Rowan did not have a name, he was always "honey".  He spoke with a deep voice (must be from smoking all of those sticks).  Throughout the game, the game would have to paused while one of them would shout out "and how bout my person does ...., or my person says......"

    I just stood there, well after all of the clothes had been folded, listening to them.  I knew that this was a special moment.   I love it when they play together, I love it when they get along.  That is what is so beautiful about our large family, there are always playmates.  They played all afternoon.  It was one of those everything is right with the world days, and Lord knows I need to cling to those when they come along.