Kitchen Dance Party
Warning—this is a bit of a sappy, sentimental post. Perhaps it’s because we just read Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman and that brings all the feels of parenthood. However, it’s probably because I can be a bit sappy and sentimental most of the time anyways…
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Do you ever listen to music while doing regular, everyday activities and think to yourself—this would be the perfect soundtrack for a time-lapse of kids growing up or flashback scene in a movie? I try to remind myself daily to be present and live in the moment, but we get so busy that sometimes it’s hard. I try to take a little mental polaroid to sear into my brain so in the years to come I can replay the scene and find joy in those memories. In a few years I will look at the exact spot in the kitchen that my kids are currently playing with Lincoln Logs so nicely together and envision this moment. I’ll replay Ella’s little hands picking up the pieces and putting them back in the tub that Tucker just took them out of to build his next “masterpiece,” enjoying the simplicity of their oh so important task and I’ll miss it. I’ll miss the noise. I’ll miss the chaos. I’ll miss the mess. I will even miss the random “treasure rocks” that I seem to find all over the house that should be in the backyard! And I know I will miss it, ergo the inevitable conundrum—trying to freeze time, think fondly of the memories made as well as having excitement for the future. Which brings me to a specific parenting moment that happened this week where the soundtrack of our life was perfectly in sync with the magic of the moment…
We had just finished breakfast and as I was cleaning up the dishes, Tucker asked me to dance. I am a sucker for a dance party, so I grabbed his hands and we started to twist and turn to the beat. Picture him in my oversized robe with the sleeves falling over his hands and the bottom of it dragging on the floor. Then sweet Ella waddled over to us with strawberry stains on her chubby cheeks and instinctively Tucker and I each grabbed one of her hands. The three of us were rocking back and forth to a song I didn’t even know, but it didn’t matter because somehow it was just right. I can only express the moment as pure joy. No distractions. Being fully present. I locked eyes with Ella’s beautiful baby blues as she giggled and looked at Tucker as he laughed at Ella swaying side to side. The most miraculous thing happened; time stood still for me. Looking at each of my kids thinking this, this is why parenting is complete magic. Those humdrum, rainy days just after breakfast. Listening to a song “Alexa” chose that helped create a soundtrack that would make any rom-com movie lover swoon. Thinking these charming little people are my greatest blessing. I took the mental polaroid, and I held their hands for a moment longer. Then it seemed just as soon as it started, it ended. The song changed and the dance party was to be followed by Ella trying to get the dog food and Tucker taking off my robe and wanting a puzzle. But for that one little whisper of a second, I felt fully and completely present and so lucky to get to experience this rollercoaster of parenting life.
I hope when my kids are old and gray and I am long gone, the words of Nancy Tilman still echo through their heads from time to time as they fondly remember kitchen dance parties and Lincoln Logs. That they know that “no matter where they are, my love will find them” because my love for them “never fades, never ends.”
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy making memories together. If you get a chance maybe snuggle up and read Wherever You Are my Love will Find You by Nancy Tillman and see if it doesn’t give a little sappy perspective to you as well.
Have a favorite Nancy Tillman book or a parenting memory to share? Post it in the comments below.
