My husband and I arrived home from a viewing, dressed in our ‘Sunday Best’. We were greeted in the garage by our eldest son, Luke, who beamed at us with his big, toothless grin. He proudly held out a five gallon bucket with six tiny fishes that he had just caught during a fishing class.
Outside, the skies were darkening, the wind was blowing, rain was coming, and lightning could be seen in the distance. All Luke wanted to do was put the fishes in his “Secret Fishing Spot.” It’s only a short ride on the trail behind our house, but the thought of carrying a five gallon bucket full of water while trying to avoid lightening strikes made me nervous. I knew we had to make a quick decision. My husband and I knew the fishes would not survive in the bucket until morning. Personally, I didn’t care about the fishes, but I didn’t want to see that excited, toothless grin disappear.
As I walked into the house, I heard my husband suggest we keep the fish in the bathtub for the night. I’m sure the toothless grin got even bigger at that point, but I very quickly volunteered to change my clothes and ride with my son over to the “Secret Fishing Spot.” Luke and I jumped on our bikes, and I balanced the five gallon bucket filled with water and the six fishes. As I was pedaling, I hoped the lightning would subside for just awhile. With the wind blowing the hood from my head, and rain falling on both of us, Mom and The Toothless Grin set out to save the fishes.
There are no photographs to capture the memory – I wish there were – but the excitement of The Toothless Grin is a treasured ‘picture’ I will see forever in my mind. As we pedaled quickly home, the wind and the rain still howling, I heard The Toothless Grin pedaling quickly behind me say, “You’re the best mom in the whole wide world.”
QUESTION: What is one of your favorite ‘pictures’ captured only in your mind?
CHALLENGE: It often takes very little to please our children. Do something small and unexpected for them that will really make their day.
Image from Flickr.com/RichardBH.
Submitted on 4-26-2010 at 10:06am
That was a great post, Tiffany. I have so many treasured pictures in my mind. I hope they are photographed in Heaven so I can see them forever. One of mine happened 8 1/2 years ago when my three year old little boy crawled up and comforted his crying 6 month old baby sister after her immunizations. He stroked her face and saying, “It’s okay. I’m here, I’m here.” Now that little three year old is almost 12 and that 6 month old is almost 9. I sometimes remind them of this treasured moment when they are at odds in these adolescent years. It brings a smile to their faces.
Submitted on 4-24-2010 at 10:45am
I have tears streaming down my face. Who knew fish and batteries could be so meaningful. It’s too easy to minimize and overlook such things. Thanks for the truly inspiring and touching stories. I am going to be a better mom today because of you!
Submitted on 4-21-2010 at 10:12am
My 10-year-old built this new “invention” with his erector set and realized we had no working batteries in the house so he couldn’t try it out. He asked me to take him to the store for batteries and I told him we’d do that in a few days. At bed time for the next few days, he quite patiently and politely asked if tomorrow would be the day we could go get batteries. It was a very busy few days and I just hadn’t found a time to do it. After 3 days of this, I decided this couldn’t wait. I went and picked up Ashton during his lunch break at school and took him to the store right by his school to buy batteries. When I walked into that lunchroom, found Ashton sitting with his friends and answered his confused question “hey, why are you here today” with “come on – we’re going to get those batteries right now” the smile on his face was priceless! When our kids see that something that’s important to them is also important to us, it means so much to them!
Submitted on 4-21-2010 at 12:08am
That brought tears to my eyes, Tiffany! Some of my favorite “pictures” are things like snuggling late at night when I’ve just helped a child through the stomach flu or driving in the car, singing at the top of our lungs to our favorite Taylor Swift song. I wish I had the paparazzi following me around to catch all the great moments (okay, well, not really), but at least writing them down will forever enable me to recall those images that will stay with me forever. Thanks for this beautiful moment you shared with us!