My Mind's Eye

Oh, how I wish I'd had my camera yesterday evening. We got a LOT of rain right around dinnertime and the heavy downpour turned into a nice, gentle rain after we'd finished eating. During dinner, Jack kept asking when we would go outside to play. We kept telling him that it was raining so we needed to stay inside, but we could all go sit on the front porch together and watch the rain. He kept asking to go run around outside but to his dismay, we kept saying it would have to wait till tomorrow.

We finished dinner and went outside. The storm had really cooled things off and there was a nice, steady rain coming down. Jack was delighted. He kept looking at the plants and saying, "Oh, they are SO happy to get a drink of water, Mommy!" and trying to reach beyond the porch roof to feel the drips hitting his hand.

Then he ventured out to put his feet in the wet grass...and then walked out a bit into the yard, giggling as the rain dampened his head. "Mommy, can I just run around in it?", he finally asked me. He had a big smile on his face and I think he was going to do it, at least a few steps, regardless of what I said. LeGrande was already out in the rain, pulling a few weeds out of the front flower beds. "Okay", I said, and Jack took off!

He started running in circles and across the front yard, around the trees, and back and forth! The smile on his face was breathtaking, and the rain was running in streaks down his face and onto his clothes. Jack had gotten up from his nap a bit before dinner, and during nap, he only sleeps in his underwear and shirt, so he had on these red, white, and blue striped boxer briefs and a t-shirt with orange, white, and blue stripes. He looked SO cute! His little legs, getting longer by the minute (when did the baby rolls give way to muscle and length and BOY?), ran like a boy, not a toddler, and he held his chest and head up like a runner does, looking straight in front of him with momentary glances at me that turned into the most wonderful smiles. He was so fast, just simply thrilled with running so quickly in the midst of the rain. It was truly one of the most freeing pictures I ever have. He was so happy in that moment to just be himself, running in the rain that God had made. I think it will always be one of the most beautiful pictures of worship that I will ever possess in my heart and head.

Did I have the camera? No...alas, it was inside the house and not for a second did I intend to get up and leave this beautiful scene to retrieve it. There are moments when you can be Mommy behind the camera, but there are moments when you just want to be Mommy taking it in with your heart...a moment you will remember forever. This was one of them. Thank you, darling boy.