Saturday, November 8, 2008

Cozy

My alarm went off at 4:30 this morning and I threw some clothes on and stumbled downstairs to cook Dylan some eggs and toast. He was all bright-eyed and happy to see me. He had to be at his school at 5am for the bus ride to the 15K he was running today. (Good grief, I would never be bright-eyed about getting up at 4am to go run 9+ miles on a Saturday morning, but he gets this trait from his father, and I play the dutiful and supportive mom who will never let him leave the house--no matter how early--without a good breakfast, and we call it team work.)

He even thanked me. He said, "Thanks for always getting up and cooking me breakfast, Mom."

He's welcome, of course.

"And thanks for always being willing to drive me to the school. Since it's so early lots of the kids' parents make them walk so they don't have to get up."

I looked up at the sky and I could see the Little Dipper shining brightly. Walk? It's pitch black out here! Crazy people are the only ones awake. The crazy running people and the crazy bad people. No way you're walking. You're so welcome.

This afternoon I went with a friend up to the Glendale building to serve lunch to 200 teens who gathered for a portion of Youth Conference. There was my Lyns, having fun, a little dazed. The kids didn't get in till 2am last night after their fun with the Special Needs Adult Carnival service project and then some play time at an Olympic gymnastics gym. But tonight is her first dance! Tonight she will dance with a boy for the very first time, and I won't be there. Which is good and bad, because I'd cry. (And probably laugh.) But I practiced with her, and I was the boy. Oh, my gosh. A boy holding her waist. Or her hands. She knows not to do the asking, and never to say no to a boy who gets up the courage. I hope she doesn't spend her entire teen years being a wallflower like her mother was during the fast songs.

We dropped leftover food off at the local park for the homeless people. I couldn't stand to let it go to waste. And I brought all the recycling home to put in my blue can. (Since this Church is true, shouldn't they recycle?)

Aiden and Dylan (he ran his 15K in one hour and 24 minutes) were waiting for me at home. Conor was still sleeping. The boys and I played Buggo. Have you ever played Buggo? You should buy it and play it with your kids. It's one of those games that is so easy, and yet, it doesn't make a mother look anxiously at the clock, like how much longer do I have to pretend to enjoy this? Really, it's cool. And fast.

Then Aiden asked me to read to him from On the Banks of Plum Creek, while he did a Search-A-Word that I'd printed off the computer. I love those books. You know, they used to call me Laura Ingalls. Ma and Pa went for a walk into town and left Mary and Laura to tend Carrie. A big storm blew in, a blinding blizzard, and Mary and Laura had to bring the woodpile in. Lucky ducks. I was born in the wrong time.

It was feeling rather cozy. Lazy, reading, games, movies. Who cares that it's 90 degrees in November? Let's have hot cocoa and pretend that it's actually fall.

And so we did. It's been a lovely afternoon.

14 comments:

Annette Lyon said...

Sounds like a great day--although I'll never understand the desire to run a race of any length.

And you just made me realize that in a year, it'll be my son doing the asking at church dances. I hope no girls turn him down.

Abby said...

I feel ya on the fall thing. I've been pretending it's cold and chilly and fall-ish here for a few weeks now. This morning I even made apple cinnamon pancakes (with hand placed sliced apples! hahah I'm so nerdy) for breakfast. My bones know it's fall even if the weather isn't quite sure.

I remember when I lived with you..that stake dance I went to..I remember telling a guy no ONLY because I wanted Jacob to ask me oh so badly (which he did later..probably out of pity) because I'd requested that "My Heart Will Go On" song (hey..Titanic just came out) just so I could maybe dance with him and he ended up dancing with someone else and I was all 'womp womp wommppp' I still feel bad about saying no to that guy though and I super wish I hadn't. It takes a lot of courage for a young fella to ask a girl to dance and saying no just crushes them! Awww..if only I had a time machine..

Josi said...

I love days like that, when you get to love and help and be a part of so many things and watch your kids do the same. And thanks for the Buggo tip. My kids love games, but most of them make my eyes twitch. We got my daughter Trouble for her birthday and so far that's been a pretty good one, but I'd love to get her another one for Christmas. She loves that she's finally old enough to play games with the big kids--but I still have that twitchy eye problem.

Unknown said...

At the first dance I ever went to, I said "no" to a boy. I shouldn't have--it was kind of mean, in retrospect! Out of curiosity, though, why shouldn't she do the asking? I have both asked and been asked :)

Saint Holiday said...

In the 8th grade, I made the fatal mistake in class of publicly referring to Lydia D'Erminio's very visible armpit hair. That set off a display of emotion from her and from the teacher and from others that I never anticipated and can never forget. In an attempt at reconciliation, I asked her to dance with me at the next school dance, and she coldly refused. I was crushed. I removed myself to the boys' room and wept like a baby. A teacher, Glenn Edwards, tried to console me, but it was impossible. I bear the scars of that psychic trauma even today. I'm sure I deserved everything I suffered then and everything I suffer today in consequence, but I am a common male, and there is no cure for that. Now you know why I am the way I am. The truth is revealed at last. I love you.
Love,
The Ancient of Weeks

Luisa Perkins said...

Oh, this post makes me miss you so very much.

Tristi Pinkston said...

You did have a great day -- thanks for sharing it!

And I loved the Little House books too. :)

Tristi Pinkston said...

I gave you an award.

http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com/2008/11/updates-from-world-of-tristi.html

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Sounds so idyllic. And I want to be a better mom after reading this.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for being the mom that you are.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I am totally for a game that doesn't make me look at the clock! I will have to check out Buggo!

YogaNana said...

That's my girl! I do make believe fall and winter, too.

Cozy=good

Dances=stress

Angela said...

I agree with Annette I never have understood the desire to run in a race.

Sounds like such a precious day.

It was so much fun at youth conference this year to teach our girls and boys for that matter how to dance and to watch the newly turned 14yr olds dance with boys for the first time. Precious moments! I hope she had a great time at her first dance!

Did you check out my giveaway? Love you!

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Sounds like a fabulous day!