yesterday, maddie and isaac had dentist appointments. down in rapid city. almost three hours from home. i picked them up from school at 11:30 and we headed south. i hadn't been particularly looking forward to the drive. but i was happy to be spending time with maddie and isaac. so, i smiled. i thought about feeling light-hearted. i acted the way i wanted to feel. and it worked. we listened to music. we ate snacks. we chit-chatted. we laughed.
as we were driving into rapid city, i thought of taking the kids downtown after we were done at the dentist. i remembered prairie edge - a trading post and fine art gallery that ben and i had spent some time looking in last fall. i wanted to make the afternoon out-of-the-ordinary, a "yes" sort of day. i thought the kids would enjoy looking at the native american art and leather work and bead work. they thought it sounded interesting, too. so, with shiny, clean teeth, we headed downtown. and we took in parts of all three floors {we could go back multiple times and still have things to look at!}. i hadn't been up into the fine art gallery before - on the top floor, flooded with sunlight from the skylights and tall windows. such a perfect place to display paintings and sculptures. we spent an hour or so in the store, filled with awe and amazement at the beautiful artwork. maddie found some painting inspiration. isaac is thinking through how he might make a headdress with feathers from the next turkey he shoots.
after feasting our eyes, we walked to an icecream store and maddie picked strawberry and vanilla, isaac picked root beer, and i had pineapple orange sorbet. we would have walked and window shopped and mural gawked longer, but there is definitely a fall chill in the air, especially on the shady sidewalks.
so, we headed back to the interstate and up to fort meade recreation area. this is a perfect place for people (and dogs {yes, we had chaco with us}) to stretch their legs. we were crunching through the fallen oak and cottonwood leaves, and maddie said how this really feels like fall. and i said something about being under trees and falling leaves. maddie looked over at me, "that's why this season is called fall . . ." she gave a funny half-smile, and we laughed that she had never really thought of that before.
our next stop was at maurices, because somehow {insert the kind of eye-roll that every mom of a growing teenager can relate to, followed by a half-laugh, because we all know it is inevitable that just because they have clothes that fit in september, doesn't mean that said clothes are still going to fit a month later}, maddie was down to only two pairs of jeans that are long enough for her . . . so, we hit the clearance rack and found one pair that fit well and was marked down to almost nothing. then we looked through the regular racks and found a few pairs for her to try, one of which fit just right. and sometimes, it's worth it to buy the pair that fits just right, even if it isn't the cheapest pair in the store. especially on a "yes" day.
we finished our evening in the hills with supper at barbacoas. we always love to eat there. curry-rice bowls topped with all manner of protein and veggie options for maddie and i, super loaded nachos for isaac. and some more laughter and goofiness. feeling at peace. filled with joy. all proving to me yet again that "home is wherever i'm with you." {the you being my husband and/or my kids; my best people.}
i drove us home through the very dark evening. all the deer and critters stayed far away from the road, which isn't the way it always goes out here. we took turns picking music, and at one point, maddie and isaac sang/hummed/beat-boxed a song to me - they are pretty rad little musicians!
yesterday filled me up in much the same way this day did. these sorts of days are my very favorite. when ben has to be away, i love to make time count and connect with maddie and isaac.
how i continue to love these times when i can and when i do say yes to taking the time, yes to looking, yes to laughter. and how wonderful it is, how very lucky i am to have two kids, 14 and almost 13, who laugh and run and look with me and smile. who like each other. who are wonderful and beautiful and kind and funny.
walking with them in the sunshine, watching them run and laugh with each other, reminded me of some of the very best parts of my life. and reminded me to take time. to play. to savor. to breathe. to appreciate. to count gratitudes.
i wish the same for you, my friends. that you find moments to stay in and to savor.