“Alright, who wants to go for a ride with Daddy and who wants to stay here with Mommy?” I asked the kids.
It was just going to be a short ride up the street to get the pizza but after a rainy day stuck in the house, the kids were jumping at the chance to get out.
For a moment, I thought a herd of elephants was coming up behind me as the kids ran to the door. They just couldn’t wait to go and it seemed like they couldn’t get out the door fast enough. They were so excited for this simple ride but who can blame them. Rainy days suck and when a chance to go out come, you take it.
I expected to be left alone. I began to make plans in my head how I would spend the next 25 or 30 minutes. I could read some more of my book, open the computer, fold some laundry, or maybe just veg on the couch and enjoy the silence.
I let myself get a little excited about the thought of being alone in the house, when I felt a little hand slide itself into mine. I looked down to see Quinn standing next to me. He looked up and me with his big blue eyes and said, “Mommy.”
I was a tiny bit disappoint that he was going to stay home with me but having one kid at home was still a break. So as Jeff closed the door and left, I looked down at Quinn and said, “What do you want to do now?”
My question was met with silence so I offered a suggestion. “Do you want to read some books?”
“Yeah!” he said. I could hear the enthusiasm and excitement in this voice. His serious face turned light and happy. He smiled with his whole body as he ran into the den to get a book.
Settled myself in the big comfy chair in the living room and waited for him to bring me a book. He took his time finding just the right one and when he did, he climbed up into my lap. He had brought me his favorite book, a book of big trucks. We looked at every page. He told me about each truck in his own way. We counted the trucks. We found each color of the rainbow. We laughed. We snuggled. We were just being together.
Time just seemed to fly by and before I knew it Jeff and the other kids came busting in through the door. Even though I was hungry and ready for dinner, I was sad to see our time end. But once the smell of the hot, fresh pizza filled the house, Quinn and I were both bolting to the table.
I looked around at my family sitting at the table eating and I was thankful that we were all together, enjoying the meal and enjoying each other. But then my gaze stopped at Quinn. I smiled at him and all the lovely memories of our short time together came rushing back.
I was so thankful that we got to spend that time together and by the way that he smiled back at me, I know he enjoyed it too.
