It was my favorite time of day. An hour before sunset. We pulled into a dirt parking lot, empty except for one car.
Underneath a big, gnarly tree sat a couple, close together, on a picnic blanket.
Our three kids scampered down the hillside to a fallen tree. Quickly, one became an engineer, the other an army general, and the third just chugged down some gatorade and toddled around.
I snapped some pictures with the DSLR I only halfway know how to use, and I handed the camera off to my husband so he could take a few of Quinn and me.
Soon Ryan and I found ourselves sitting shoulder to shoulder, watching the kids play hide-and-go-seek around the tree trunk. (FYI, no fingernails were lost in the making of these memories.)
My husband was a bit tenser than usual, just from the normal pressures of life and work, but we kissed (a real kiss) and talked comfortably as the sun sunk closer to the hills.
(As if you wanted to know, I’m instantly transported back to our dating days whenever we kiss outside. It’s just one of those things.)
As all five of us climbed slowly back up to our car, we said hello to that couple on the blanket.
They smiled at us with starry eyes—even the guy—asking if we caught some good pictures and commenting on how beautiful our family was. They told us a few more places to explore nearby, and we left with that feeling that there really are good people in the world.
As we drove home, I thought about how idyllic that glimpse into our life must have looked. That couple didn’t know about any tension my husband’s shoulders carried; they hadn’t heard the baby’s yells on the car-ride there.
They couldn’t read my thoughts, just hours earlier, as I wiped up a spilled smoothie on my hands and knees while one baby cried over her diaper rash and another one (granted, five years old isn’t exactly a baby, but still) ordered me to get him more cheese.
That evening, sprawled out on a picnic blanket, that couple was us ten years ago.
Looking in on the life we would build. Clueless to what was coming. Happily seeing only the best.
Sometimes I want to be that couple again. Sometimes—we can be that couple again.
Because in spite of everything I know now about parenthood and marriage, it really is as good as I imagined, especially when I’m looking in on my life from someone else’s point of view.
Linked up with On My Heart.
So beautiful. I love this! Just what I needed.
Exactly! I often wonder what it would be like to have a conversation with me from ten years ago. I had such plans and excitement for the future – yet, I held myself back waiting for things to happen how I thought they should. The best gift that motherhood gave me was to live in real time. It doesn’t matter what happened earlier or what will happen later. It is all about the right now. Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Kelly! I could not love this more—”The best gift that motherhood gave me was to live in real time.” If I quote you on my facebook page at some point, don’t be surprised! 🙂
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment!
Such a sweet day and a wonderful moment. You make a great point. It’s so easy to get swept up in the day-to-day. Taking that step back and remembering what we are all about, what we were, what we can get back to anytime we try, is just awesome.
This is just beautiful, and a wonderful way to start the day. What a nice day for you. I try so hard, so so hard, to slow down and see these little moments. I want to look back and remember these good things, and not the stresses that it takes to get there. I don’t always succeed, but I’ll keep trying. 🙂
Agreed, Ashley! “The stress it takes to get there.” Absolutely, yes. But as you said, the moments are so worth it. That’s why I write this kind of stuff so regularly. I just continually NEED to take that step back.
I had this experience recently when an ex-boyfriend mentioned that he’s envious of all of my family-related posts on Facebook and can’t wait to have his own family. I was shocked, but not in a bad way! I often think my life must seem very routine, very predictable, and not very interesting to outsiders but I can’t tell you how many people have told me I’M living THEIR dream!
Another thing I love is seeing how people who are farther along in life view our family. Seeing the misty-eyed smiles on older folks’ faces when they watch our kids playing or even misbehaving haha makes me treasure these days even more! I love this post. 🙂
Hi girl! What an eye-opening experience, having an old boy friend say he’s envious of what you thought might look like a predictable life. Thanks so much for sharing it!
Loved this! My poor self from a decade ago had no clue, which is probably a good thing? I dragged my overwhelmed self and sick kids to the bank today and the teller was so nice, telling me how cute I always dress my girls and I had to laugh as my baby was still in pajamas lurching around in boots a few sizes too big. It made me feel better though. And everyone looks like they’re having a great time in your pics- such a happy family!
I love this. We often see the good moments other people have and only see the stressful, less perfect ones in our own and I think that gets people down. I often will find myself thinking after getting a compliment, “Of only they saw [insert negative parenting moment I felt I just had moments before]” But it’s okay if they didn’t see that and only saw the good. Instead, I should focus on the good they just saw and soak that in! 🙂
So, so beautiful! I will be sharing this weekend. I can sooooooo totally relate. What amazing words. Thank you, sweet friend, for sharing!! xoxo
Today I asked my husband if he was “happy” He of course wasn’t sure where I was getting at, but I shared with him that sometimes I like to take a step back… look at our “crazy” and just bask in the happiness of it all. Thanks for this reminder!
Well said, Teresa! And congrats on the birth of your newest little one! The photos you just posted are GORGEOUS!