I must blog about this ordinary/extraordinary day. Only continue reading if you're willing to see the extraordinary in ordinary.
We moved to Holly Springs in June and here we are in September...feeling relatively settled. It's time to explore a new church. Bill has been working on weekends so it's just me and GA. For close friends who know me, putting her in church nursery is like taking her to daycare for the FIRST TIME all over again; I want to cry/throw up/make excuses NOT to go so I don't have to do it.
However, this morning was different. I had my sights set on Hope Community Church - Holly Springs campus - less than 3 minutes from our house. I walked out the door at 9:15 for a 9:30 service (not a lot has changed there). And truth be told..God knew the ONLY way I was getting there was to get there LAST MINUTE because that's when you have NO time to dwell over the angst YOU or your child might feel.
So we got there...and were ushered in by the most welcoming folks around. GA was in GREAT spirits and seemed genuinely excited to see all the boys and girls milling around her. When I dropped her off in the two year old room...she hardly looked back and DEFINITELY didn't whimper. Roberta, my usher, was kind...and brought up the fact how she knew it was hard to let the little ones go in the nursery on your first visit. She was sweet...almost made me feel like I was with my dear friend Audrey who has helped me through this experience a COUPLE of times before. :)
Church was great. Uplifting. Topic on point. Pastor was funny. All went well.
And later in the day, we went for a playdate with Cory at the park we used to go to when living in N. Raleigh. A lengthy drive is NOTHING when it means these gals can get together. What I didn't FULLY anticipate is the joy I'd find in a conversation with another mom friend. It's reassuring to hear ideas and challenges from another mom - knowing you're not the only one who thinks and worries about these things. And "big girl" time is PRICELESS too!
So at the end of the day..playdate over...I needed to take GA to Target to get a few critical household things....as in non-negotiable - she HAD to go. She had already expressed that going to "mommy's house" was where she wanted to be next, but I told her we needed to ride in the shopping cart at Target.
I'm not sure how it happened, but due to a song on the Micky Mouse CD we have on repeat...we found ourselves looking for Pluto. "Where are you Pluto?" was what we asked ourselves outloud the last few minutes before we arrived at Target. And as we got in the shopping cart (that she has recently REFUSED to ride in) she started looking for Pluto. "Where are you Pluto?" her little 2-year old cute voice rang out. Target was almost empty...not many folks around...so I played along with her. When her voice got loud...i asked her to use her 'inside voice'. We then quietly asked, through the aisles of target, "Where are you Pluto?" "Where are you?"
And as I drive her in the shopping cart to the front of the store ready to check out, with all items we came for in cart, a lady...near in tears...says how happy it made her to hear her cute voice calling out throughout the store. I said I was thankful because I was hopeful our 'game' didn't annoy anyone as it let me get our shopping done after a long day. She smiled and said "it made me happy."
As we went to bed tonight, GA always likes me to sing a song about those who love her. "Daddy, Papa, Papa Reeves, Ahna and Matt, Mimi, Barbie, purple toes (as in her painted toe nails), etc. And tonight she asked me to sing about "silly mommy". I couldn't have been more proud to sing about how her "silly mommy" loves her.
Thinking back on the day, her silly mommy forgot how much SHE hates the sand and let her play knee deep (literally) in the sand today with Cory. Her silly mommy ate a brownie today with her at lunch. Her silly mommy got her to eat peas tonight because of the 'popping' sound they sound make in your mouth (shhh...don't tell this was mostly a put on).
Her silly mommy is an everyday mom who gets stressed by the every day stressors of 2 year olds, but as long as she's calling me silly mommy...I'm puddy. Puddy in her hands. :)
I love you sweet peach,
Your Silly Mommy
