The Good Times

 'Things change, but the carousel is always here. It reminds people of the good times." 

— Glenda Millard 

I've had a sidekick for just over two years now. I think the feeling of wonder, of didn't the nurse just hand to me for the first time? will never really fade- and I hope it doesn't. And when she woke up as a two year old last week, I asked her what we should do on her birthday. "Carousel?" I offered. "Carrysel!" she chirped. So we went, and rode once for free after the older woman at the gate said a birthday ride is a free one, and once more in honor of being two. Sometimes once just isn't enough.

After that, we stopped in at the bookstore to turn in a coupon for a free birthday cookie. If you want to see pure joy beam from a child, just hand them a bakery item made of pure sugar.

And finally, we headed to a place that soothes and delights us- the tiny library in the next little town over. After all, Elmo is there, just waiting to pop out from behind a curtain and say "Hi, Mama! Hi, Daddy!" in a very Millie-sounding voice.

We finally headed home, tired and content. Though I'll strive to be parent above all else until she's much older, it's such an beautiful feeling to know that one of my best friends is this baby, this tiny sprout who will grow into someone amazing. 

And even when she's had many more birthdays and a whole circle of friends around her, I'll still remember our carousel days, and how we spun around and around but time stood sweetly still.

P.S. My sweet blog friend, Jamie, is having a big giveaway in honor of her birthday today (happy birthday, Jamie!), and I get to be a part of it! So if you'd like a second chance at winning some fold over elastic hair ties from me, plus lots of other goodies, head over to her blog today and enter!

P.P.S. Thank you for the comments and emails after my last post. Someone even said I was brave for my honesty, but the truth is that I needed to say it because there are some bits of this "real life" world that cut too deep to brush aside- it definitely wasn't bravery. I did, however, worry about the reaction I would get- not even the disagreements, but the same pain that I felt earlier that day. Instead, I felt nothing but acceptance and kindness, and I thank all of you for that. It's a beautiful and humbling thing to know I can go to my blog as a safe haven, to tell you my heart, and know it's okay to do so. I appreciate it so very much.