we met some friends at the playground, chit chatted about houses and kids and the new-to-town (and highly-recommended) hair dresser. kids ran up and down the playscapes, slid down slides and jumped on wiggly bridges. that is, all of them except mine who prefers to climb and re-climb the few sections of stairs leading to the slides and wiggly bridges. just stepping up and stepping down. the whole time. he doesn’t even have much interest in the swing but had fun cheering on his fearless little sister.
and when we left the playground it was that perfect not quite dinner time but just right ice cream time of day. so i looked in the rear view at my flushed, sweat streaked toddler and said, “who wants to join mommy for an ice cream cone?”. those precious green eyes widely responded with an, “ICE CREAM CONE!”. success, a taker!
admittedly, i am a complete ice cream junkie. every sunny, summer afternoon around 4 pm should be mandatory ice cream consumption time, if you ask me. so, yes, i totally play up the fact that i have a more than willing cookies ‘n cream sidekick, conveniently willing to aid in my addiction. plus, a lady eating ice cream outside at 4pm on a random tuesday is much more acceptable with a grinning tot in toe. no?
we sat outside of friendly’s on their built in tables, cookies ‘n cream cone for jackson, butter crunch cup for momma and a couple of spoons to occupy ms harper.
we sat with the warm sun on our backs, sweet ice cream on our lips (ok, and nose, cheeks, ears) and waved to the passing trucks and motorcycles. although there were many, many cars they really can’t hold a flame to garbage trucks, oil trucks, tractor trailers or grumbling harleys.
it’s moments like these, watching your child totally euphoric over ice cream and traffic that you must sit back and take it in. be present. breath. look into the sky and thank whoever it may be you give thanks for moments like these. for all that you have.
no matter how loud or how sticky.
for they are the moments that define my life. as mundane and uninspiring as it may sound to some, yes, sitting in front of a friendly’s next to a busy road hooping and hollering at a dump truck is the definition of my life right now. and today, i was able to really let it sink in; to appreciate it for all it’s worth. but trust me, some days that ability is just not there. and i guess, that’s ok.
so, my thought today, with a belly full of my all-time favorite – buttercrunch icecream – is that you may not be able to always make a day at friendly’s a life changing event. nor should you. but as often as you can, no matter how difficult the day, week, month or year, really try to stop and listen and look and feel. chances are if you have kids it will be loud, messy, possibly stinky and most likely slimy. but with momma eyes, it’s the most beautiful thing imaginable.
from a favorite book: what was good about today? a lot of things i would say.
