I just spent 15 minutes staring into my daughters eyes and falling in love with her more. Her eyes are really beautiful. They’re a definite blue, but a light blue with a misting of grey outlined by soft black eyelashes. It reminds me of the flitter of blue sky you catch midmorning on misty day on a stone, windswept Washington beach (like Rialto). I got to stare at these eyes while I was requested to sing, not one, but two songs. My voice was dry and sticky from the salty pizza I ate for dinner. I quietly rasped out ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and ‘Lord I Lift Your Name on High’. I laid on the futon that was my marriage bed for almost 5 years and stroked my daughter’s hair still slightly damp from swimming.
Yes, I said swimming. After last post’s failure, we tried again today, twice. While trying to print out copies of an application for a conference, we discovered we had run out of printer paper. Errand #1. Wayne asked me when I was going to send out all the baby presents I purchased back in February. Errand #2. I’ve been longing to get more stamps and pens and stamp pads for my new favorite hobby of card making. I missed getting to the PaperZone by 20 min on the way to Costco last week. Longing to get stamps, I added Joann’s to our list. Errand #3. Enter the rain. Heavy, steady rain. I can’t find a raincoat for Laura…it’s buried under spooge in the tool room. So I have 4 stops with 2 kids in the rain. Ugh! I buck up my spirits, repeat the concept that this will be fun, and wish for one stop shopping.
Errands proceed in a reasonable fashion. Laura gets a little wet, Sara intentionally gets wet by refusing to put her hood on, and I delight in my steady acquisition of stamp supplies. Laura cries at being buckled and unbuckled so much. It’s a decidedly boring day from her perspective. She charms several strangers. Sara sits on the counter of the shipping store and asks about packages with the clerk. She has brought her own box to “send”. As we leave, Sara says,”Have a good day!” My heart flutters in pride at her maturity. The clerk responds, “Well you just made mine.”
We arrive at the club. It’s 11:30am, bumping into nap time. I realize that the pool is about to close to kid play for lap swimming, a recent change I didn’t yet incorporate into my memory banks. Ugh. Sara is not as despondent as I imagined. I promise we’ll try again in the afternoon. We get home. I think it worked out better, because both girls instantly took naps. I lunched on bangers and mash. I slow down and head upstairs for a nap.
We try again. Wayne has agreed to meet us at Snoose Junction for dinner after work. I get the kids to the pool in good time. We spend an hour playing in the pool. Laura looks uncomfortable in her life vest, but doesn’t cry. Sara plays with her 2 turtles and 3 ducks. She is longing to take swim lessons. She even tried to slide into a lesson already in progress. There was a young boy reluctant to swim and she tried to help the instructor coax him into the pool.
Wayne meets us at the car and we walk to Snoose. It’s packed and we barely snag a bar stool for waiting. I order the pizza at 6pm and get Wayne a beer. It’s loud and crowded. I get a brownie for Sara. We get seated in about 20 minutes. I’m expecting the pizza to arrive in the next 5-10 minutes. 60 minutes later, no pizza, Laura has grabbed everything in sight, Sara is caving, and Wayne’s scowl has deepened despite his Mac&Jack. Once again, eating out with kids turns disasterous. It makes Wayne really unhappy. Unfortunately, I like to eat out. I think we’ll have to avoid it for now with the kids. I enjoy the ‘Combo’ pizza, but bid farewell to that dinner spot. Wayne declares he will never go there again. Oh well.
Then I get to stare in my daughter’s eyes…