Friday, August 31, 2007

What my "Wildelife" is made of....


I'm including a picture with this post in an effort to share the moment, but truthfully, it'll never do it justice! I do recommend clicking on it to enlarge it and enjoy the detail just once. Dale and I went out tonight. Not coincidentally it's our 16th anniversary. That is, it's been 16 years since we started what has so far culminated in events like tonight. The kids called a couple of times wondering when we would return. The last time, Cheyenne called and just said, "Mom, we need you." We came home soon thereafter. It was after 10 when we arrived and they should have been in bed. Instead, Cheyenne met us at the door, dressed up in a skirt from the costume box. She led us to our room where she had us dress in bathrobes, jewelry, and even a small plastic tiara for me. Daniel was wearing a lab coat and had a makeshift sword. They told us we were the king and queen while they were the prince and princess. Then they led us to the throne room, watched over by two fierce guard dogs (look closely toward the bottom of the picture). There were chairs with candy and lots of lights. There were LED lights taped to the fan, smaller ones placed around, and even a strobe light (not on in this pic). For fun we had the plasma ball (the glass ball that seems to have lightning trapped inside). They brought us a drink and encouraged us to enjoy. And we did!

Most people's lives aren't like ours. Some other families never get these moments. Our kids are a constant source of creativity and invention. Last night we had an ugly night with crying and yelling between them. Tonight, memories of a castle with a throne room took center stage. Two nights ago the center of attention was a microscope and a slide. Daniel and I made the slide by taking a razor blade and scraping a mosquito (which he had earlier smashed with a shoe) from the inside of the car window. He wanted to see the bug parts and the human blood. It was fascinating! Like I said, most people's lives aren't like ours.

I'm so thankful for kids who show me so much. It must've killed them to wait for us tonight. They couldn't wait to share their creation. I'm so glad they were patient. I'm so glad I married a man who was willing to play along and then to take a picture with a 30 second exposure. I'm sorry you weren't here to enjoy the moment, but we'll savor it for you.

2 comments:

Heather said...

At first I thought y'all were having a seance(sp?). I love to bask in those simple moments when the world seems to stand still, and the day to day struggle fades away. Moments that make you remember this is why I came to earth, this is why I am a mom. Thanks for sharing. Love you guys!

kelison said...

I'm thankful your kids have parents who relish the moment and celebrate creativity. I can only imagine the scene at 10pm bringing a rush of OCD panic to other moms and dads. Your family is awesome!