I took the kids to the library last evening. It had been a week since we were last there, and we were in dire need of new books for the summer reading club. The 6 oldest are signed up, and keeping track of all the books they read in an attempt to collect small prizes and ice cream coupons, as well as earn chances to win bigger prizes given away at club's end. Little do they know, mom's happy to see them keeping up/improving their reading skills before next school year, as well as exstatic about the quiet time it brings to our home. It's all good.
Anyway, as luck would have it there was a magician scheduled to perform upstairs soon after we arrived. The kids quickly checked in their finished books and I escorted the 10 little indians upstairs for the show. The room was filling up fast, so Lucy and I ducked back downstairs for an entire hour of one-on-one quiet time. It was wonderful!! She seemed to know it was special time, and we snuggled into a reading nook to look at picture books, play with puppets, and later chose new books for 4 of the older ones who would let me. For a moment Lucy was busy playing with a toy "barrel of monkeys" allowing me a brief chat with the librarians about reading material I've heard other moms checking out. I toyed with the idea of taking a book home for myself...but honestly, I know something would have to give...like dinner or laundry...so I didn't. I did however put my name on a wait list for one popular read, so we'll see what comes of that when it's available.
I have to admit, it's little quiet moments like these that can turn another "ordinary" day into something extraordinary. I'm grateful for opportunities to spend quality time with each of the kids when it comes along. Life is good, indeed.
