I spent my afternoon helping Danae with preparations for her annual Halloween party which is tomorrow. There was bark to me made and cupcakes to be frosted and caramel corn to stick to and seven children under our feet. I was babysitting my four nieces and nephews and Danae was you know, raising her three children like usual. So seven it was.
They played outside. They played inside. One cried when her aunt wouldn't let her go out with a only a diaper and a coat. They helped with the prepping. They destructed the prepping. They giggled and giggled.
It was the stuff of good.
Until it was time to go.
I was all, "Get your coats on and let's roll." And they were all we are going to stall by not finding our hats and by fighting over a pumpkin slinkie. Then I was all, "Now." And soon we were loaded in the car with everyone strapped in. As we were driving down the gravel road, talk of the day ensued. The energy went from now back to ahhhh. Then, little Punky noticed the moon playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. We all joined in. Pointing. Ooooooing. Awwwwing. Laughing.
I pulled the car over on the gravel road, threw it in park and said, "Kids. Sometimes you just have to take a picture."
I jumped out of the car and the moon peaked back behind the clouds.
The peanut gallery chuckled with hands on their little mouths because their aunt had been peek-a-booed.
I climbed back in and said, "You guys watch it and tell me when it's time to pull over again."
The next five minutes will be forever in my heart.
Their sweetness about the moon was the best ever. I say best ever too much, but this was. Best ever.
With their final, "YES! NOW! PULL OVER NOW!" We did just that. Pulled over in an approach because we were on the highway.
I put my camera up to my face and the moon tucked back into the cloud.
Those sweet souls were not feeling the trickery. Not one bit. I pep talked about it's okay, we tried.
Just as I was about to shut the door, "AMY!!! It's back! Go! Now! Now!"
And we got it. The moon in all its October glory. They were thrilled.
But more than the picture snapped, I got the best ever memory with my four nieces and nephews. As we continued the drive to their home, the chatter of the moon went on. I decided it was time for a little life lesson called "Sometimes you just have to pull over and take pictures when the moon is pretty. Or the sun. Or the sky. Then fist pump about it. Let's fist pump again." Of course, we did while yelling and soon we discussed the need to always pull over into an approach because as Little Man said, "Yeah. Otherwise a cop might come and put you in jail."
I only hope that these four nuggets who I love will remember times with me as the kind of crazy like pulling the car over twice for the moon. The kind of crazy who wanted to go get life.
I know it's a drive I'll hold right here. Right next to the other memories which give me everything.
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