This morning really impacted me, and I want to write it down. Monday was one of the warmest days we have had all year. I took Porter to the park behind Orchard elementary. It was funny to see his excitement over the swing and the slides. I am sure it was a "first time" experience for him, since I am sure he can't remember all the time we spent there last summer. While we ate our lunch and played I was able to watch a mother with her little boy. I recognized this lady because she is in my Stake, and serves as the Primary President in another ward. Therefore I have seen her at Stake Training meetings, and other events. Her little boy was playing with all of the other little boys at the park. These boys were probably 4 or 5 years old. They were having the time of their life, and their laughter filled the entire park as they ran back and forth. This little boys mother ran from one end of the park to the other chasing these little boys, making them squeal and laugh. I would hear one say to the little boy, "Tell her to get us at the bottom of the slide." She never stopped running back and forth, up and down the play area. She had so much energy, especially when you compared her to the other mothers (myself included) who were sitting peacefully while their children played happily. Soon the mothers of the other little boys rounded up their stuff to leave. They fussed that they didn't want to go as kids do, and the mothers literally dragged them to their mini vans. I was now pushing Porter on the swing next to this woman and her little boy. I waited to hear the little boy complain that all of his little buddies had left. He told his mom, "I don't want to go home now." And the mother replied, "We don't have to leave." I smiled to her, and said "I think those little boys had more fun playing with YOU!" She laughed and said, "Well, this is my last one (child) and I don't have much time until he goes to school. I am just trying to savor every minute I have left." She then turned to her little boy and told him how lonely she was going to be once he went to school and she would be home all alone. During the rest of the time we were at the park I watched as she chased him on his little bike with training wheels, as they played basketball, tag, and ended up back on the playground again. Porter and I were there for nearly an hour and they were still playing when we left.
I don't know why but I was so touched by this mother, and it caused me to reflect on myself and I have resolved to try to be more like this woman. How easy it is for me to go about my day cleaning and doing laundry as Porter just follows me around entertaining himself with whatever looks exciting for the present 30 seconds. I want to "savor" every minute, to be just as exciting to Porter as another little child would be. To say to him, "We can still stay at the park." And to actually be an energetic mother that will chase him around and "play with" him rather than sit back and watch. So the past few days we have been working on this. I am trying to be fun. :) With as much energy as it exerts to chase your child around I just might need nap time too. I hope that this small experience at the Orchard park will be one that I will never forget.
And here are a couple fun new activities we have introduced ourselves to: finger painting, and playdoh. (oh boy)
