Saying "Yes"

"Someone who knows that in every hard place is exactly where you extend grace, who looks a hopeful child in the eye and says yes, even though she knows every yes means a mess but this is how you bless"  

Ann Voskamp

"Mom, can I make pancakes for breakfast?"

"Can I play play-doh?"

"We're going to play checkers!"

The snow was up to their knees! 

There's always a wet mess when they come back in.  :)

Uno - A new favorite with the boys that ends up with cards scattered throughout the living room.

Mom, can I (cut up into millions of pieces scraps of fabric to) make my doll a hair thing?

Art time!  Pencils and paper everywhere by the end..

The above quote resonated with me. 

Saying yes to messes is harder on some days than others.

But I'm working on it because I truly do believe that messes bring about creativity and learning in ways that neat and tidy work book pages can't.

And as long as the messes get cleaned up afterwards (preferably by the kids who make them), it's usually a little easier to say, "Yes!"

Just so happened that while I was writing this post, the kids were doing science experiments at the table.  Sometimes it's just best for me to be in the other room while "messes" are being made.  ;)