splash!

Ok, so picture this in your mind...
I was walking out the door to the parking lot from the grocery store behind a little girl about 3 years old who was holding on tightly to her Mommy's hand.
She was wearing her adorable little puddle ducks (that's what we call rain boots, here at our house)and a sweet shiny rain coat and her Mommy was dressed impeccably from head to foot, quite the contrast to my apparel which was what I had thrown on to make a quick run to the store for a few needed items.

In my haste --being lost in my own endless list of worries on my mind lately-- to rush back to my car and then drive home as if almost on autopilot, I did not even notice the wonderful jumping puddle she was approaching in her path. Her Mom was busy talking to another adult person to her other side and did not notice the puddle in her daughter's path either.

*** SPLASH!!!*** The little girl, still holding tightly onto her Mommy's hand, did not skip a beat nor hesitate (what serious puddle jumper would?) as she used her Mommy's grip to levitate herself for a magnificent launch into the puddle while still keeping pace with the stride of her Mommy's steps.

Puddle water splashed all over her Mommy's dress-up shoes and dress slacks.

Her Mommy did not bat an eyelash or miss a step as she giggled and continued on her way to their car. She took the event in calm stride where another Mommy could have come apart at the seams over it.

I LIKED THAT!!!!!

I couldn't help but giggle too as I got into my car...and instead of worrying about all the stressful things in my life and driving as if almost on autopilot, I spent the next 5 minutes on my journey back home rewinding memories through my brain. Memories of all the fun days when my girls were each 3 years old and they had never missed a puddle jumping opportunity.

I still enjoy puddle jumping with my 3 kids ages 16, 13 and 8. We all pull on our puddle ducks and away we go.

The pictures above are from a splashy day last summer when I went out with N. and his friend girl J.(not girl friend, as he is always quick to blushingly point out to me)