Today was a perfect day--one of those warm, golden summer days where there's just the right amount of a light breeze to keep you comfortable in the sun and where sitting under a shady tree is absolute perfection. A day where time ticks by softly and slowly, allowing one to savor the sweet moments and lock away precious memories to safeguard in the depths of one's heart.
What made the day even more special was having the chance to spend some quality time with the Little Man. For those of you that follow me, you probably know that his future is pretty uncertain right now (and if you aren't sure why you can check out my previous post this week). With the official decision set to come at any moment (it is supposed to come before Thursday of this week), it is unsure if this will be his last weekend in my home or if there will be many more to come. My family rallied around us to ensure that we could do some pretty special things this weekend, which I believe was the medicine we all needed. Everyone was thinking the same thoughts and nobody dared to speak them out loud--exchanged meaningful looks and heads bent in silent prayers. My parents took care of the baby so that Little Man and I could have a special adventure all on our own. While he was confused as to why his sister wasn't going along, he reveled in having the spotlight on him for awhile.
He and I decided to spend the morning hiking. He wanted to take Gus, our German Shepherd/Lab mix, so the three of us set off on our morning adventure. We hadn't had a chance to get out yet this summer, and we both love to be out in the woods hiking around. The leaves were dappled in sunshine and happy bikers greeted us as we made our way to the less-populated hiking trails. Little Man gave everyone a "Hello, Stranger!" as they passed. We kept our special rituals, our favorite being singing "The Happy Wanderer" and inserting his name in place of the word knapsack (he rides on my back in a carrier once he tires of hiking himself ). If you want the definition of adorable, it's when a two-year-old belts out the words, "Valderi, Valdera". He was our "lookout" person, watched for steps or other hazards on the trail, and kept his eyes peeled for the animals all around us. As usual, he fell asleep within 20 minutes of the hike. There was something magical about the moment he laid his warm little face against my back (right after he gave me some sticky kisses and whispered an I love you, Momma) and succumbed to sweet dreams and happy endings. His dreams haven't been so sweet lately, and it was a relief to see him slumber in peace. Nature can do that for a person--bring peace and comfort and healing. That was what we experienced today as we hiked around for about an hour, one of us in dreamland and the other wavering between the dreams and nightmares of what could be coming.
Upon returning to the car, Little Man awakened from his cat nap ("Hey, I thought we were going hiking!"). Since we had a little more time, a treat was definitely in order! He is not much of an eater, but he loves his drinks. Smoothies are one way I can count on getting valuable nutrients coursing through his body. We went to the "noisy yogurt" store (that's what he calls a smoothie...precious, no?!) and then made our way back home.
The rest of the day was just as perfect--playing outside in the backyard, going for a little bike ride, taking a thirty second break in the hammock, making lasting memories. These are the moments when I am reminded how truly blessed I am to have this special little person in my life, and I can see how simply beautiful life could be. I never want them to end, for in a moment, they could be gone. Will there be more perfect days to come or have our perfect days come to an end? Only God knows.