Savoring the Moment

The week has been full of shopping, cleaning, baking, laundry, card writing, visits with friends, and last minute preparations for the festivities at the end of the week.  But, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I’ve had a few precious moments which I want to quickly record lest I forget them in days gone by.

Monday evening I took my 4 year old daughter shopping for her sister’s Christmas present.  She has known for months what she wants to get her, it was simply a matter of carving out the time for the 2 of us to go and buy it.  As we drove off, just the two of us, she was excitedly chattering in the back seat.

After parking the car, I grabbed her hand and we walked over the bridge from the parking garage and into the store.  As I held her hand, joy surged through me.  So often, I am grabbing hands for fear of them running away in the parking lot.  Most of the time it is a quick command and I stick my hand out there for someone to latch onto as I juggle the baby carrier, the shopping bags, my purse, and the keys.  It’s not really an intimate exchange, more of a mode of survival for keeping everyone close by and safe.   And rarely in those moments do I savor it.

But, as we walked, just the two of us, I didn’t really need to hold her hand.  She wasn’t running off and my mind wasn’t scattered in dozens of directions.  I reached for her hand, just because I wanted to hold it and as I held her hand in mine, I simply savored it. 

When did she get so big?  How can it be she will turn 5 in 2 months?  She’s not the toddle she was just yesterday.  And before I know it, she won’t be holding my hand in the parking garage anymore.  In fact, before I know it, she’ll be driving the car in the parking lot.

We waited in a rather long line, but it was just the two of us and neither were in a hurry for our time together to end.  So we didn’t  mind.  She played with the items on display at the check out, laughing and smiling at how silly some of them were, and all the while I just kept savoring her. 

Oh, how I love this girl.  She’s not one to really beg for your attention.  In fact the spot light is not a place she genuinely enjoys being in.  How long has it been since just the two of us went out together? 

The answer… too long.

Since we were both having so much fun, we decided to go to Target to pick up a few things before heading home.  Since this wasn’t simply an errand, but rather a “date” we decided some Starbucks was in order as we began.  She got a kid sized peppermint hot cocoa (did you know they make the kids hot cocoa at a cooler temperature?  How fabulous is that? Oh Starbucks… you think of EVERYTHING) and I had my now standard grande pumpkin spice late w/ skim milk and no whip cream.  (oh how I love walking up and knowing exactly what I want to order and how I want it).  We grabbed our delightful red mugs of goodness, paused for Cheers, and paraded around Target drinks in hand, happy and go lucky.  We grabbed some pjs for her brother, and a sippy cup for the baby, perused the toys for her cousin and then headed to the check out.  All the while she kept commenting, “Mommy, I love you and I don’t want this date to end!”  I feel the same way dear girl, the same way.

Like all good things though, our evening did end.  We got home and shortly after Scott arrived home from wrestling practice with the other 3.  It was time for pjs, teeth brushing, Luke 2, fluoride, water, and lullabies.

However, that hour and a half of one on one time, was a true present in the midst of this chaotic life.  And it served as a gentle reminder to stop and savor the ordinary.