Perfect Storm

In case I've got my phraseology and symbology backasswords, as I sometimes do, this is a positive moment created by a number of factors converging as a collective causative force  .  .  .  The.  Girls.  Were.  Friends.  Today.  Like, really friends.  Not just general politeness, but unselfconsicous, interactive, vulnerable play -- for hours and hours and hours -- the kind of talk and frivolity one has with someone when you are interested in how much fun they are having, when you want them to like you, when you care.  Dolls in the morning; dolls to church (in van, not into mass); dolls to soccer; and then -- a full-blown birthday tea party for Anna's doll in the toyroom complete with singing, chatting, sharing of plastic birthday cake on tiny porcelin plates.  And this evolved into lights-out, strobe light dance party of all four sibs in the playroom.  Needless to say, Daddy and I did not shuffle them off to showers and bed at regular time, but let the magic roll on.

Of course, it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies; one daughter was less than happy

about sitting in the heat to watch the brothers' game.  Removing the sweatshirt

 was too obvious a solution to try  .  .  .

And as for the soccer, competitive little bro played goalie on one end of the shortened rec-league game field while older, mellow bro was stationed on the opposite end. 

Thank you, "8-lb-6-oz Baby Jesus" for summer TIME to have new and different experiences!