Let's Go Fly a Kite

It was a sunny but very windy Saturday. The thought entered our mind, looks like a day for flying a kite.

Noah awoke with excitement. Today he was going to see his Grandma and Grandpa. After a winter Easter, the sunshine will feel good. Grandpa arrived and Noah had his fishing pole ready to thread. Not too far from home is a fish hatchery called "Grandpa's Pond." Noah and Grandpa selected a spot. What a moment for me to see Noah with his Grandfather fishing, something my Grandfather enjoyed doing with his Grandsons.

Unfortunately, the fish did not bite and Noah said, "I have been skunked." There will be other times at the fishing pond. Again, the thought, "Next adventure let us go pick out a kite for you and take them flying"

Not quite ready to end the day, there was a tailgating party for the REAL Soccer Team. It looked like fun...games, prizes, food, and a big bouncy house. Noah kicked off his shoes and climbed aboard.   He had the place to himself. He did somersaults, ran circles, and jumped continuously. He began saying, "Isn't this the greatest day ever" kind of thing.  It made me so happy to see him free and smiling with not a care in the world, or so it seemed.

I gave Grandpa my camera and asked if he would take a few photos while I fixed Noah a hamburger. Grandma went into wash her hands and the next thing I know, I hear "MMMOOOOOMMMMM !" I hear people run and a frantic "HOLD ON BABY." There, my little boy was trapped up in the air inside this big balloon bouncy house. A group of adults surrounded the balloon house. Some tried to calm him down and rescue him from being thrown against the fence or smashed between the balloon walls. It was difficult to see the entrance/exit to help him find his way out. Eventually, someone was able to reach up high enough to pull the balloon to a level where the rest of us could help. While setting the balloon down, a table by the pool was blown over and glass was broken. The sound effects added to the drama. Noah ran into my arms, his little body trembling.

"Mom, I could have been killed," he said. "I wonder if I will be on the news." I tried to diffuse the intensity of the moment with a joke, "Noah, I said 'Let's go FLY a kite, not let's go BE a kite," and laugh he did. Later while driving to the gas pump, Noah asked, "Do you think Heavenly Father was protecting me?" "Absolutely I do." In a moments time, I looked back upon the many instances, the multitude of tender mercies that I have witnessed and feel so grateful for...."THUMP THUMP THUMP...my, Noah what was THUMP THUMP THUMP that THUMP." While counting my blessings, I had run over a cement block that had entirely escaped my view. I was just going around this huge RV in the middle of the Smith's Grocery Store Parking Lot. I was aghast when I saw what I had taken my vehicle over (and thank heavens it was my vehicle and not Grandpas.)  I can officially say I took my boy four wheelin' now.

Noah and I were both laughing hysterically. It had been a crazy blustering, blundering, windy, doggone, skunked kind of day, AND WE had the good fortune of sharing it with Grandma and Grandpa.

What I learned from Noah: He will never set foot inside a bouncy house again and he is learning about his Heavenly Father even when I am not aware. If you don't have a kite, be a kite, if you don't get a bite, your skunked and if you have thumped you have two choices...laugh or go fly a kite.

And why are there no photos of Noah jumping in the bouncy house? Because Grandpa was quick on his feet to the rescue and Grandma, who saw through the bathroom window, called "That's my grandson in there, call 9-1-1."