small things {resourcefulness}

small things #23 ... resourcefulness

resourcefulness n. having the ability to find 

quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties.

It's 5:15 and the piranha hour has arrived.  


It will be another hour before I can feed my carnivorous crew and the clock ticks so ... slowly.  With the warm weather returning, we have returned to the front yard - trying to stay busy and happy until Daddy and Sissy get home from gymnastics.  Dinner parts sit in the kitchen, waiting for final touches.  I sit out on the bench in the front yard, waiting for the next sad little person to melt down.


With the pitiful words, "I'm bored," I dig into my mommy-bank of ideas.  The bank is a tad over-drawn, mind you.


"You can get some chalk and do a little hop-scotch."


"All our chalk got used up.  I can use a rock."


"Hmm ... I don't think that will work too well."


"Yes it will."


"I think chalk works better.  Check the kitchen; I think there is some chalk in that little cup in the windowsill."


"I want to use the rock."


"Okey-dokey."


scritch, scratch ...


"It doesn't work."


"Nope.  Sorry."


A car drives around the culdesac.  A dog barks from a neighbor's yard.  A few more minutes tick by.  It's been a long day and Mommy is just as eager for Daddy to come home.


"Look, Mom, I'm going to bring all our colored rocks out here."


My six year old stands with three pastel rocks clutched against her belly.  The rocks we painted during Spring Break ... our Easter egg-rocks from the back yard.


"Oh, I don't know, Honey.  You're going to have to put them all back."


"I know."  She happily skips back through the garage with her little sister in tow.


The rattles and giggles draw my attention back to the garage.  My girls have loaded up the three-wheeled scooter with the rainbow of rocks.  


Resourceful girls at work.


"See, Mom!  We got them all!"


The next several minutes are spent counting the rocks (fourteen all together) and stacking (from big to small and from flat to round).  


"Try to see how tall you can get the stack."


"Stack them by color."


"Line them up by size."


Resourceful Mom at rest.


The piranha hour passes with just a few tears shed due to pinched fingers and missed turns.  As Daddy and Sissy pull into the drive, a collective sigh is released.  We made it.


Resourcefulness ... nifty girls navigating potential boredom and a thrifty mom milking 14 stones for all their worth!