Skip to main content

Nature Up Close

Last night found us outdoors at one of Tony's summer concerts. Armed with all-natural bug spray, some water bottles, and folding chairs, we were ready to enjoy some music. The kids have made friends with two little girls whose dad is also in the band. They squealed with delight when they found one another and skipped off happily to play in the open area designated for just that.

Backing up a little, let me state that yesterday had most decidedly not been a good day for Therese. When naptime was announced, she threw herself down on the couch with a wail that quickly turned into a full-fledged cry. She did not execute her exasperated flop well and ended up hitting her eye on the armrest, resulting in a rug-burn type scrape right in the corner of her eye. She was also awakened early by her mother, who foolishly thought that vacuuming the downstairs would be a good idea. Then to her dismay, dinner was not her favorite. So by the time she tripped and fell in the parking lot, skinning her knee, she was a very crabby two year old indeed.

So, if you know anything about crabby toddlers, you will know that I did not get to talk to my friend much. Nope, I was walking back and forth from the play area to our seats trying to assuage said toddler. On my last trek back to the play area, I looked down at my feet just in time to see something slither away. It was a small snake. Well, now, I am not going to lie to you, I do not like snakes. Not at all. They freak me out big time. And here was how desperate I was to cheer up Miss Fussy Pants: I pointed out the snake to her. She stopped crying and followed it. Then I called Jack and Anna over to see it. But Anna did something I was not expecting at all. SHE PICKED IT UP!!!! Oh my word! I remained calm on the outside, but my inner monologue was screaming "Put that thing doooowwwwwwnnnnn!" Then I realized that that little snake probably had friends that might be bigger and more aggressive, so I gently suggested we go see if we could find Daddy, right now. Oh, and then I remembered that I had not 10 minutes earlier sat Peter down to play in that very spot. Cue the panic attack.

I will admit that I will be watching my kids much closer at next week's concert. I will also be praying for rain.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Walking a New Path

 Well now. It has been quite a while, hasn't it?  I have kept silent about my struggles for the past four years, mainly because I was in the midst of something that I never imagined could happen to our family. And it wasn't just my story. It still is not.  A friend once told me I am an external processor, and I suppose she is right. I find that saying things out loud help me find the answer, if there is one. There was no good answer, as it turns out. And so, I am sad to say, that I am now divorced. A single mother, navigating a life I never imagined.  But there are some things that haven't changed. My faith, for one. I know that God is with me on this journey and that He is way smarter and wiser than I could ever be. He has held me close as I wept and grieved the end of my marriage. He held my hand as I packed up what would fit in a moving truck and drove our belongings to a new home. He has led me to new jobs and I can only trust that all will be well if only I cont...

The Door Table

Once there was a store in Georgia. It is no more, but how I wish it was. I likened going in there to treasure hunting. One never knew what was going to be in there, and you had to dig through and wade through all the "other people's treasures" to find your own. I once found a set of blue and white teacups and saucers from England. I found lace handkerchiefs, a rocking chair, and an end table. But by far the best find was my kitchen table. I had stopped by one day while the kids were taking horseback lessons and the then little ones were asleep. The store was not open, but I went up to the window to see if anything new was there. And it was there. The table. And six chairs too! We were in need of a bigger table with Jack on the way. My mom had offered to give us her old one, which I was going to accept if I didn't find something I liked better. I didn't want anyone else to even see the table because I knew it was supposed to be ours, but one can never tell abo...

Some thoughts and news on this Monday

As I wait for Olivia to return from DC after joining in the March for Life today, I thought I'd take a moment to write some thoughts down. First of all, I am so proud of my teenage daughters who fully embrace their faith and are as horrified at the idea of abortion as I am. It literally leaves a sick feeling in my stomach and an ache in my heart when I think about all those babies. Both of my older girls have attended the March for Life several times. One day, I hope to have the chance to be there too. Sophie did not go this year, but she had a good excuse. She is out of the country. A little over a week ago, we loaded up in the van and drove her to the airport to start the adventure of a lifetime. She will be studying in Austria this semester. It is still so odd to think about how far away she really is. I was grateful for the distraction of keeping up with three little ones in an international airport to keep me from completely losing it. It was still more than heart-rending to...