Sunday, May 08, 2016

Dancing On Bubble Wrap

This was a tough week. My daughter was sick and missed a lot of fun events at school and at her after-school clubs. There was a lot of disappointment to deal with on top of not feeling well.  It was also a busy week with early mornings and long days.  Mid-week she lost a tooth, and I still haven't learned to make sure I always have loonies on hand, and did the mad scramble for change that resulted in yet another sandwich bag full of assorted coins under the pillow. (See A Coin from the Tooth Fairy)

Then there was this one golden moment where all was right with the world. My wonderful mother-in-law had been looking after my daughter while I was at work and invited us to stay for dinner. Just as we were about to sit down to eat the kids spotted two sheets of bubble wrap from a package that had arrived that day. It was providence. They asked if they could dance on the bubble wrap. Suddenly I am faced with a decision. I start to think, but it's time to eat, my head hurts, it will be so loud... But really, it was a moment that it was just as easy to say yes as it was to say no. And so to their surprise and delight I told them to go ahead. Ah, the sound of it! It was like a hundred firecrackers being set off by a couple of elephants; a sound only exceeded by the gleeful laughter of children.

As we were driving yesterday the Lee Ann Womack song "I Hope You Dance" came on the radio. I told my daughter to listen as it is my song for her. I proceeded to sing along, while crying, which I'm sure she really loved. I hope if there is anything my daughter remembers about the week, that it is not the pain or the disappointment, but that she had family to love and look after her, and that she danced in the kitchen with her brother.  So on this Mother's Day I mean every word when I sing to my children, "Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance..."(on bubble wrap).