August 7 – “Bow-link-kicks”

We got to spend the day with Cailyn yesterday.  Well, Chris did, anyway.  The two of them went to the library while I tried to get some work done at the computer.  When they returned Cailyn was very excited to show me the books she had picked out.  Titles like Purplicious and two or three that had something to do with ballerinas.  Is she a girlie girl or what?  But she was most enthusiastic about one book in particular that had nothing to do with dancing or being purple or pink.  It was about swimming.  How to swim.  What happens to your body when you swim.  Where to swim.  Swimming in the ocean or at a swimming pool.  Swimming.  And on the cover was a head on closeup shot of a girl in a swimming cap and goggles coming up for a breath while swimming the butterfly stroke.  That’s what Cailyn wanted me to see.  She pointed out that the girl was indeed swimming, and that she could swim, and that her Daddy took her swimming at the beach, and that she put her face in the water.  I asked if she looked like that picture when she went swimming, and I got one of those, “Oh, DadDad” looks that says “Oh, you poor old doddering antique.  How sweet.”  She answered, “No, DadDad.  I not look like that.”  I asked her who it was that did look like that when they swam.  She pondered for just a moment before issuing her definitive reply, “They swim like that at the Bow-link-kicks.”  Oh, yes.  Of course they do.  Mark Spitz.  Missy Franklin.  Gold medals.  USA – USA.  Bow-link-kicks.  Got it.

Mom had an active night last night.  She must have been up and about five or six times.  Very confused.  And of course Chris was up checking on her every time.  She started in the afternoon.  She was rummaging through the kitchen, so Chris peeled her an orange.  She took it over to the table and set it down.  Mom got distracted, however. By the jar of yellow play-dough sitting there.  She grabbed that instead and began that wonderful practice of kneading the dough and letting it ooze between her fingers.  One of the best feelings in the world, as I recall (Not from childhood.  I did that this weekend).  After getting it good and pliable, she proceeded to take a bite.  Of the play-dough (No, I didn’t do that this weekend, though I have had the experience before.  Salty).  Chris leapt into action and redirected her to the orange.  Mom insisted that she had the orange.  Chris assured her that she did not, she had the play-dough.  Chris finally had to put the play-dough away and hand her the orange, much to Mom’s dismay.  And so once again I thanked the Lord that he has blessed me with a fabulous Mom for my Mom.  I love those two ladies.

Psalms 19:8 says, “The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”

Father, there are days when Mom could use some of your light.  Chris, too.  Give it to them as they need it.  Amen.