Moments Come. Moments Go.

Later in the summer we are headed to New Mexico for a week. I've started talking to LB about it. My parents have been going over the summer for several years and D and I joined them for the three summers prior to bringing LB home. We haven't been since the summer of 2009, which was the year we started the adoption process. We decided this was the year to head back and that LB would be old enough to enjoy it. In an effort to get LB pumped about going I've started talking up how fun it is to go on a hike. LB loves the outdoors so I think he'll love it but it doesn't hurt to prepare him for all the greatness awaiting him. Yesterday it was overcast and cool and I decided to take him to a park where we could walk on a trail and practice "hiking." He was excited and wanted to wear his boots so I didn't argue. I told him we could collect rocks and jump in rain puddles and look for bugs.

We got there and he ran straight to the ducks and started quacking at them. I love that he thinks they understand him. We chatted with the ducks for a while and then started walking the trail to find rocks.

We found rocks, sticks and pinecones and they all got tossed in the lake. He's got a strong arm and ever since he was teeny tiny has loved to throw things. He doesn't tire of it. It's nice when things get thrown in a lake instead of at my walls.

A lot of runners frequent this trail so every now and then we would step aside to let a runner pass and LB had to wave and say hi to all of them. One girl didn't wave back and LB determined "she was shy." He was truly being too cute for words. As he was walking ahead of me looking for more things to throw in the lake, I realized I was having a moment. Everything just felt peaceful and right. He would throw something and then stop and gaze out over the lake. I just wanted to soak it all in.

Then he squatted down to look at something and called me over. "Mommy, what's this?" I thought to myself, "He's so inquisitive and smart." I walked over to him and he had his hand in dog poop. DOG POOP!! And my moment was over.