Slight Corners

I took a day off of work to spend with Lanie while her teachers went to a conference.  As is tradition for all Ward kids in Kindergarten, I spent the day doing what she wanted.  After a double block bike ride, we spent our free time at the zoo.

Last year, when Lanie and I spent a l-l-o-t-t of time together, this Houston day of fun would have been expected, run-of-the-mill, and most likely taken with a group of friends, and I would have rushed her to and fro and spent more time talking to the adults and letting the play date of kids take their own course.

But on this one Friday, with just me and Lanie exploring at our own pace, and with just each other to talk to, I learned something quite obvious.  When Lanie is in charge of an audience of one, life is simple.  She's a gem - easy-going, no dramatics.  With the exception of a rush to giraffe feeding time, we walked a slow step.  We waited in a line for expensive zoo food without complaint.  We spent an unusual amount of time watching bats eat apples, and an armadillo run, surprisingly fast, on spindly legs. And we could skip the snake and spider building, because who really likes to see that - not us.

I don't know if it was that day or maybe it's been happening without my notice, but I have this strange feeling that my Lanie, my "Oh, mercy - Lanie!" has turned a slight corner.  She seems just a little bit more grown up, a little bit more focused on school work, a little bit more independent, and just a little bit, well, easier.  And when you have our lifestyle, when on any given night we have 5 places to be, just a little bit easier is just what we need.