We brought bikes and a scooter and a bag of chips, and were all ready to walk around the block with our church friends at 10am. Once we all got going, Amber took off after the big kids on her bike. I quickly realized that this was not going to be a leisurely 2 mile walk with friends; this was going to be a 2 mile sprint to keep Amber from tumbling off the curb into oncoming traffic. Thankfully I wore my running shoes and comfy clothes. I ran to catch up to her, then walked while she pedaled ahead, then ran to catch up to her again, and so on for the whole two mile loop. It wasn't ideal after my morning 8 miler, but such is single parent life. I wasn't entirely alone: a nine year old girl from our ward whose name is also Amber decided to run with me. She is very shy and so quiet I've hardly ever heard her speak (and I knew enough not to try and force her to talk), but she was determined to run with us, and she did! About halfway through the loop, she started talking to me too! As someone who was painfully shy and quiet as a child (and only marginally better as an adult), I felt honored that this quiet mouse of an Amber wanted to talk to me. Then we were off again, dashing after the wild Amber on her pink kitty bike. The run of the two Ambers was a success. Then it was picnic and hang-out time. We stayed at the activity for more than three hours, lounging in the grass and chatting, eating, and even jump roping with the kids. Social central! It only took me three days to regain my introvert calm--haha.
An hour after we got home, our neighbors invited the kids over to swim. For humans who can take so long to get dressed before school, my children were out of their clothes and into their swimsuits in a shockingly short time, sprinting across the yard towards the next door gate before I had even grabbed my sunglasses. I clipped Amber into her water wings in the nick of time, and then spent the next two hours sitting in the shade chatting with our high quality neighbors, a little in Spanish con la abuela chilena, a lot in English.
At 4:30pm it was time to head home and get ready for activity numero tres of the busy busy day: the piano recital. All three kids were bathed and dressed their best, with dinner in their tummies and a last play-through of piano songs in their fingers by 5:30pm. We made it to the Presbyterian church ten minutes early and I felt exceedingly accomplished with my parenting prowess for handling all of the rigors of the day on my own. Rose and Jay have improved their piano skills this year, and it was good to finally hear those recital songs for the last time...I mean they learned their recital songs so well. Jeff slipped into our pew partway through the recital, sunburned and still wearing his SHS track gear. He had dashed across the street straight off the school bus to get to the recital. A wave of relief swept over me. Track was OVER! After the recital, Jeff and I got the kids in bed and snuggled up on the couch to revel in the simple pleasure of being together. Jeff's homecoming was easily the best part of that very full, very good Saturday.
Mt. Adams was extra clear on the horizon during my run.
The Two Ambers, chugging around the block.
The two amigos, Jay and Ian enjoying hot dogs at the picnic.
Sprinting to climb the fence to get to the pool. Somehow I managed to get sunscreen on everyone before they left me in their dust.
Amber, pausing for a poolside snack while Jay and Rose wrestle in the water. This was at the very end after everyone else had gotten out of the pool, right before we left. That's our house across the way through the grape vines.
THE PIANO RECITAL:
Half of Sister Cook's (aka Mrs. Cook's) students--she does two separate recitals to keep them under an hour each. BLESS HER.
Couch snuggle selfie. It's so good to have my husband back. He has been regaining his mental balance as well, so he's even more present now than he's been in weeks. I could weep, I love his real self so.
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