Mommy, Unleashed (next time)

I took a break from SuperNoots for a while to picnic with the kids at Knoxville's World's Fair Park. I saw the greatest thing while I was there...

I watched a mom and her little girl excitedly cross the lawn, making their way toward the fountains. Smiles on their faces, they BOTH threw their bathing suit covers off and skipped into the water. I've been there a lot, and I've never seen an adult having as much fun as this lady was having with her daughter.

I felt my spirits lift, soar actually, at this sweet sight, but then I looked over at my little girl. I had kept her in her clothes because she was too anxious to step into the fountains. I was then aware of my own demeanor, my own clothes, and suddenly I would have given a million dollars for a bathing suit.

I spent the rest of the time encouraging her to touch the smallest fountain with her fingers, but in my heart, I was wishing I could pick her up and whisk her into the fountains like the mom I now so admired.

So now, I'm sitting here a little remiss, wishing I had just gone in with my clothes on. What a great opportunity I had to show my little girl the beauty of life, the beauty of spontaneity, the beauty of being silly.

Blondie, get ready, 'cause next time... Mama's goin' in!!!

Here's one of my favorite pictures of Blondie. Hard to imagine a child this wild would be anxious about anything!