Let the Little Children...Pull Weeds!

We spent the last of today's evening hours outside fixing up our garden (Andrew mocked my city-girl construction of a vegetable garden) and cleaning up the "landscaping" in our front yard (I use that term ever so loosely).  Usually these are not among my favorite activities but unlike yesterday, which was about 40 degrees and terribly windy, this evening was pleasant and the neighborhood full of people.  I felt almost as much satisfaction about our clean yard as I did the sense of community I gained from being in my neighborhood.

Now before you think this a tranquil evening, there were sirens and lots of traffic and about 10 people across the street yelling and cursing at one another for about a half hour straight.  Oh, and Stu, our dumb dog, doesn't listen so he almost got hit by a car and then got cussed out by the driver.

Along with pulling weeds and digging out unidentified weed-tree-stalks, we talked with neighbors and said hello to passersby.  It's times like this that I remember that sometimes one of the best forms of ministry we can do is to just be visible and present in the community. 

Then to make a great night even better some little helpers arrived:

Many hands make light work...or do they?

Anthony is doing some serious stone "sweeping."

Quick, who has the most fashonable wardrode for weeding?

American Idol: Gardening Edition

Stu doesn't seem to be enjoying that as much as the girls!

This was right before we had to chase her down the street as she ran away towards the street.  Little stinker.

Questions heard while gardening with children:

1. Adria, did you marry Andrew because his name started with an A?
2. Andrew, did you marry Adria because her name started with an A?
3. Why didn't you adopt a kid yet?
4. Can you please get a kid our age so we can play with it?
5. Is that worm pooping?