Today I needed Brian to take me to the University so I could complete some paperwork in preparation for the Fall semester and so naturally we brought Damien and Ada. I prepared them by asking them if they'd like to go to my school.
At first they simply said yes, but without much enthusiasm. So I began to tell them what to expect.
"It's a big giant building and it has a swimming pool and a gym. There's lots of people there, but there are big stairs and even lots of elevators!" Suddenly they became more excited. "And there's computers and a giant library with lots of books. Oh, and outside the school, there is a lake that has fishies and duck-duck-gooses!!" Now they couldn't wait!
Fortunately, my paperwork took only a few minutes, during which time, Brian took them for a ride on one of the elevators. From there, we went to the cafeteria where I told them all to pick out whatever they wanted: pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, salad, pizza puffs, nachos and cheese...the options were endless. Damien wanted a Mountain Dew and ONLY a Mountain Dew. Ada wanted a yogurt. For Brian and I, it was a no-brainer: We each had a White Chocolate Mocha WITH whipped cream! Yes, there's a Starbucks in the cafeteria!!
When we finished our snack, we explored the university: The kids learned what raquetball is and saw the fitness center. They smelled the pool, but it was locked so we could view it only through the window. We walked outdoors for a bit, around the perimeter of the university which is kept well with indigenous wild flowers, nice lawns, and shady trees. Along the path there are various sculpts made from steel and i-beams. I've never cared much for them and they remind me of the Picasso that we have downtown. As we approached one, I asked Damien what it was. He said he wasn't sure but that maybe it was a slide. I told the kids they could go check it out and so they ran on ahead. As Brian and I caught up with them, Damien had been inspecting the sculpt up-close and had examined underneath it as well. He came out and dusted his hands and reported, "Well, nothing useful here!" and Brian and I laughed at his brilliant observation!
We continued walking and Ada found some big flowers to smell. "Do they smell good Ada?" I asked her. "Yeah," she replied, "They smell like butterflies!" Well, of course they do!
Further along we spotted a circular outdoor stage where Ada couldn't wait to reach. Once we got there, she and her daddy danced and Damien showed how he could jump from the 2nd step. Ada showed off and jumped successfully from the third step and then Damien had no choice but to pull on his big boy pants and do as his little sister had done.
Next we came across a dumpster. Damien wondered out loud what was inside and naturally Brian and I assured him it was just garbage but - too late - Damien had already reached it and glanced inside. "Nothin' in there except a porcupine" he reported. A porcupine?? Well, no, there wasn't a porcupine in the dumpster, but there was a rather large racoon in there!! Apparently, Damien wasn't impressed; he responded as if EVERY garbage dumpster holds wildlife! Naturally, we let Ada take a peak.
Before leaving the grounds, I showed Damien and Ada a particularly beautiful pine tree and plucked a pinecone for Ada. "It looks like a pineapple" she noted; actually, it kinda did.
Throughout the excursion, we talked about school, being a grown up, and how when you become a grown up you can be whatever you want to be: a doctor, a garbage truck driver, a newscaster, a veterinarian, a fisherman on big ships, a gas station attendent...anything! Damien decided that he will work as part of a SWAT team - as long as he is able to get $1000 or even $2000 for doing so because he wants so much money that he can buy whatever he wants. Not only that, but he informed us that he will make so much money that he will share and put money in his dad's money jar, in my money jar, in papa's money jar - in lots of people's money jars!! "I'll HAVE to give some of my money away dad, to make room for all the other money I will keep making!" Ada also expressed her career goals: "I will be a fireman and a ballerina!!" That sounds like a plan!!
So I had a wonderful, delightful, even magical day where I was able to put my pain aside, stay in the moment, and enjoy the time spent with Brian and the kids. Brian and I had a chance to talk about the kids and how they're adjusting to Christina being gone, and we talked about ways to prepare Damien for school - which is only weeks away. I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon.
Oh, and it looks like I will have adequate funding for school this year so I am now fully enrolled and my tuition and books will be paid in full. Even when Life throws shit at us (and it always does), the squeals of my grandchildren's laughter, their insanely accurate observations of the world around them, or just the smile on their faces can often more than compensate!
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