Last week, Collin and Annie had been playing with sidewalk chalk in our backyard where we have a tiny concrete slab when it started to sprinkle and then to pour. Fun with sidewalk chalk turned to having fun playing in the afternoon rain showers. I got out my camera and Collin ran and ran through the downpour. The harder the rain fell, the more Collin begged me if he could stay outside. Annie was more content to stay on the step and look at the rain as it fell. Occasionally, she’d venture out a little further, lift her face up toward the sky and stick out her tongue to catch the raindrops, or she’d reach out her hands to touch the rain. Michael stayed in his high chair and looked out at us through the sliding glass door in the kitchen. He’d laugh and smile as he watched his sister and brother. We love the rain. A while ago, we had a wonderful storm, but it was a little later at night. There were some pretty spectacular bolts of lighting flash through the sky and the thunder was so loud, I was surprised that the kids slept through it. Some friends of ours (Meagan and Rocky) were with us and we decided to go outside and watch the rain and lightning. Watching turned to playing pretty quickly and soon I found myself racing Matt down the street in bare feet and splashing through the gutters like I was 8 years old again. Matt is a lot of fun to play with in the rain because he turns into a little boy without a care in the world. I love the rain. I love how clean the earth smells after a good storm. I love how I feel after playing in it.