Holiday
Yesterday was July 4th. A holiday. It was a milestone in our life in a way that was almost lazy. See, we've gone through Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as a family, and they were heavy with expectations and Ideas of how things should go. We came away from those experiences feeling like we'd failed. No, more like we were in over our heads when it came to bringing joy to these annual events. This was different. It gave me hope.
First thing in the morning Adam zipped over to a local donut shop and picked up kolaches and donuts for us to share. Nora's first donut. It was a first and it just happened; the way that memories should happen. Without expectations. I took a picture and Instagrammed it (Oh, I'm quite in love with that little place) without even realizing that it was significant.
While Nora napped, Adam mowed the yard; I cleaned. When she woke up Adam took her on a father-daughter errand; they went to the store to pick up hot dogs, buns, and steaks. And celery, for the potato salad. Adam wanted sparklers too. Little last minute things because we had never celebrated July 4th as a married couple before and didn't know what we wanted until the last minute.
I made potato salad and prepped the salad for later that night. I had music on and I was chatting on the phone. The animals played at my feet. It was a nice moment.
They got back in time for lunch and Nora's afternoon nap. Adam and I rushed around and set up things in the backyard while we were kid-free. We dragged chairs and a table and the grill into the backyard. I dug around in the garage until I found a large, discarded umbrella that one of my brother-in-laws had left when he moved out. It was one of the few useful things that got left behind. I propped it on the ground and added a blanket. We didn't really use it, but the idea was there. We were lucky enough to have an overcast day.
Feeling relaxed we opened a couple of cold beers and settled in. We didn't talk about it, but I could tell that we both felt like we were winning. Is that the most obnoxious thing you've ever heard? Winning at a holiday?
Nora woke up and everything fell in to place.
We played in the backyard and Adam lit the grill. We teased each other good-naturedly. Adam has very limited experience with using the grill, despite the fact that we've had it for several years. I think we've only used it three times, and one of those times doesn't count because my dad did the grilling. I chased around behind Nora, who was determined to play in the potted plants.
At one point Adam got it in his head that we should fill up water balloons and try and flinging them over the roof with this piece of rubbery plastic that he's been hoarding for seemingly forever. We kept vaulting them on each others heads. Good times. Nora would laugh and clap. We never made it over the roof.
We placed speakers at the windows so that we could hear the radio, but the sound didn't leave the yard. Respectable.
We used Nora like a Foosball game piece. She loved it. I would kick a beach ball at her and Adam would lift her in the air, swinging her feet at the ball. And she would laugh. Typically, we got tired long before she did.
We ate dinner inside, telling Nora silly stories about the music we were listening to at the time. Adam got tipsy, just enough beer to make him sweet, and he started fuzzing up the edges of his father. He still wants to erase the last years of Wayne's life, the years with me in it, because that man was not the one that raised him. I do what I can to respect that. Our truths are different and there's no harm in that.
With full bellies we wandered upstairs to watch a movie together until the sun started to go down. Then it was back in the yard to light sparklers and hum "The Star-Spangled Banner" while waving them over our heads. Okay, the last part was just me. I marched around barefoot in the grass waving sparklers and humming. There's no shame in that.
Right?
By then it was time for Nora's bath and boobie and bed. The good kind of rush because you know you were busy living your life and time got away from you.
We sat in the dark not really saying anything for a while. We watched other people shoot off fireworks from our second-floor living room window. Both pets were wrapped in tight balls on either side of me. It wasn't late, but it was the perfect time to end the day, before we ruined anything.
First thing in the morning Adam zipped over to a local donut shop and picked up kolaches and donuts for us to share. Nora's first donut. It was a first and it just happened; the way that memories should happen. Without expectations. I took a picture and Instagrammed it (Oh, I'm quite in love with that little place) without even realizing that it was significant.
While Nora napped, Adam mowed the yard; I cleaned. When she woke up Adam took her on a father-daughter errand; they went to the store to pick up hot dogs, buns, and steaks. And celery, for the potato salad. Adam wanted sparklers too. Little last minute things because we had never celebrated July 4th as a married couple before and didn't know what we wanted until the last minute.
I made potato salad and prepped the salad for later that night. I had music on and I was chatting on the phone. The animals played at my feet. It was a nice moment.
They got back in time for lunch and Nora's afternoon nap. Adam and I rushed around and set up things in the backyard while we were kid-free. We dragged chairs and a table and the grill into the backyard. I dug around in the garage until I found a large, discarded umbrella that one of my brother-in-laws had left when he moved out. It was one of the few useful things that got left behind. I propped it on the ground and added a blanket. We didn't really use it, but the idea was there. We were lucky enough to have an overcast day.
Feeling relaxed we opened a couple of cold beers and settled in. We didn't talk about it, but I could tell that we both felt like we were winning. Is that the most obnoxious thing you've ever heard? Winning at a holiday?
Nora woke up and everything fell in to place.
We played in the backyard and Adam lit the grill. We teased each other good-naturedly. Adam has very limited experience with using the grill, despite the fact that we've had it for several years. I think we've only used it three times, and one of those times doesn't count because my dad did the grilling. I chased around behind Nora, who was determined to play in the potted plants.
At one point Adam got it in his head that we should fill up water balloons and try and flinging them over the roof with this piece of rubbery plastic that he's been hoarding for seemingly forever. We kept vaulting them on each others heads. Good times. Nora would laugh and clap. We never made it over the roof.
We placed speakers at the windows so that we could hear the radio, but the sound didn't leave the yard. Respectable.
We used Nora like a Foosball game piece. She loved it. I would kick a beach ball at her and Adam would lift her in the air, swinging her feet at the ball. And she would laugh. Typically, we got tired long before she did.
We ate dinner inside, telling Nora silly stories about the music we were listening to at the time. Adam got tipsy, just enough beer to make him sweet, and he started fuzzing up the edges of his father. He still wants to erase the last years of Wayne's life, the years with me in it, because that man was not the one that raised him. I do what I can to respect that. Our truths are different and there's no harm in that.
With full bellies we wandered upstairs to watch a movie together until the sun started to go down. Then it was back in the yard to light sparklers and hum "The Star-Spangled Banner" while waving them over our heads. Okay, the last part was just me. I marched around barefoot in the grass waving sparklers and humming. There's no shame in that.
Right?
By then it was time for Nora's bath and boobie and bed. The good kind of rush because you know you were busy living your life and time got away from you.
We sat in the dark not really saying anything for a while. We watched other people shoot off fireworks from our second-floor living room window. Both pets were wrapped in tight balls on either side of me. It wasn't late, but it was the perfect time to end the day, before we ruined anything.
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