Today and tomorrow, Steve and I were supposed to be at a marriage retreat up in Corova, NC, the four wheel drive area of the beach. However, he has been sick since Monday, Sarah got sick Wednesday, and I seem to be coming down with the same thing today. So we’re staying home instead!
Here is a favorite post from the archives, written in 2007.
The other night, Sarah was off at a birthday party so Steve and I, left to our own cunning devices, planned an exciting evening for ourselves. We had leftover chicken casserole for dinner, went to Cold Stone Creamery for the kid size cup of ice cream (only $1.79!) and then came home to watch an old video I had bought at Goodwill for a dollar. (We are very easily entertained.)
I was feeling pretty wild and radical because at 9 pm, we were only halfway through the movie which meant that I was actually going to be staying up past my usual bedtime!
Woo-hoo! Wild and crazy! Party Woman!
A few minutes after nine, Sarah came happily bursting through the door and when she ascertained that we were watching a video and not something on TV, she politely asked if we could pause it for a moment. She had tons of stuff to tell us about her day and she rattled on cheerily for quite a while. I watched her animated face and her shining eyes and I thought how blissful it was to have a 12-year old daughter who still wants her parents to pause a movie so she can tell us about her day. I was trying not to look too far forward into the future when she’s fifteen and might not be quite as eager to talk with ye olde Mom and Dad.
After she had finished her recital she remembered her manners of reciprocity and said, “So what did you guys do all night?”
Well, Steve recounted our big adventures to her, starting with the Exciting Casserole! and moving on to the Momentous Cups of Ice Cream! and the Bargain Video!
And then he added, “After your mom and I got our ice cream, we ate it outside on the bench sitting perpendicular to the sunset.” (In other words, we were facing the front end of our lovely, bug-spattered car and the sunset was off to our right.)
I immediately noticed the interested smile that spread across Sarah’s face when she heard those words and I knew her little word lover’s heart was intrigued. I wasn’t at all surprised to hear her inquire eagerly, “Dad, what does it mean to sit perpendicular to the sunset?
Of course, “Dad” was only too eager to explain and he took off on a knowledgeable lecture about all the quirks and qualities of perpendicular-ness.
Over the years, I’ve always told Nathan and Sarah that they have been patient with Steve and me because they can never ask a simple question and get a simple answer. Steve and I are such teachers at heart that any question unlocks vast happiness in our hearts as we scramble through the reaches of our brains and our (limited) knowledge to try to impart the wisdom we love to the children we adore.
I once heard a quote from some famous person that said, “Ask me the time and I’ll give you the history of the watch.” That is just how Steve and I tend to be and, by and large, our children have proven to be a very receptive and eager audience.
So anyway, after we had straightened out the wonders of perpendicularities and finished exchanging our adventurous stories of the day, Sarah ran upstairs with Snowy close at her heels. Steve and I returned to our movie and the peacefulness of the evening, happy in the knowledge that our son (even though he was far away from us) was in good hands and that our sweet daughter was home safe for the evening.
I don’t think an evening consisting of a hundred-dollar dinner, an exotic dessert and a first run movie could have brought us any more happiness. We got to spend time with each other, we got to spend time with Princess Groovy Chick and we got to indulge in a short teaching on what it means to sit perpendicular to the sunset.
It was a good night.
Note: Although this post is six years old, the pictures are a little more recent. (Because you can’t have a post about sunset without pictures of a sunset!)
Amen to what Mrs.Pam has said. What a beautiful re-reading it was. It reminds me of rememmber to value the small things in life.
P.s I feel slighty old since I can remember when this was posted !
Trine,
That’s funny that you feel old because you remember when this was first posted. You’ve been around a long time, haven’t you? 🙂
So very sorry to hear everyone is sick. Guess Summer will need to put on her nurse’s cap. Praying for a quick recovery.
Judy,
Since Summer provides lots of snuggles, she is an excellent nurse!
Sorry to hear that everyone is sick. Sending prayers your way and I sure hope you all feel better real soon!
Thanks, Shawn. We’re coming along but Steve is still not feeling great. He’s been sick since Monday which is a really long time for him.
You know what I’ve always appreciated/admired most about your family?
It’s the closeness and openness that your children (especially as teens) have/had
with you and Steve. Wow, what a blessing!
Sure hope you will soon be saying that sickness “has left the building”!
Mrs. Pam,
We are blessed, indeed. Our children have been such a joy.
I so apprecaite the sunset pictures from any period of time today – sunrise, noon day sun, sunset – it can only help the digging out of snow and ice here in the good old Midwest. Just glad all I know and love were safe and sound yesterday after traveling home from work, slipping and sliding away on snow, then ice, then snow, then more ice, etc., etc., etc., until we had about 5 inches of the lovely stuff. Actually, it was lovely, looking from the inside out but not as lovely this a.m. digging out the snow plowed in driveway and unearthing our cars, so to speak. But that is the seasons of St. Louis.
Hope you ALL feel better very soon – lots of nasty bugs of various kinds gong around this winter. Take care!
Mary,
Snow is wonderful when being gazed at from a cozy window; not so wonderful when you have to be out slipping, sliding and driving in it. Glad you all are safe.
There has certainly been a lot going around. I think I also fall into that “Ask me the time and I’ll give you the history of the watch” crowd! Not a bad position to be in 🙂 Feel better!
Music Girl,
We can just call ourselves the History Givers! 🙂
Sure hope you all get to feeling better really and very soon! 🙂 Loved this post. Love deb
Deb, thanks. We’are attempting to get better but attempting doesn’t always work. Sigh!
Praying you all get better soon. I look forward to reading your posts everyday, and sharing them with others 🙂
Darlene,
Wow–I’m honored that you would share my posts with others. Thank you!
I hope you all feel better soon!
Jenna,
Thank you. I’m feeling a bit better today but Steve is about the same. Should be an interesting day at church tomorrow!
Dear Lord, I come to you this day to ask that you quickly heal the wonderful Smith family of what ever ails them….in Jesus Sweet name I ask…amen and amen.
Anonymous, thank so much for praying. Much appreciated!
Breathtaking photos! LOVE them!! I’m sorry to hear that the crew is sick. *Ugh* I hope you all are feeling much better very soon!!
LeeAnne,
So happy you enjoyed the photographs. Nothing quite like the combination of sunset over water.
Sorry to hear you guys are sick! I hope you feel better soon! You are in my prayers!
Holly Hart
Holly, thank you so much. We’re getting some rest out of it all, so that’s a good thing.