That Great Desire of Your Heart...

Do you remember being a little kid and really, really, really wanting something?  I'm sure that happened more than once in my young childhood but I really only remember one time in particular not filling one of those needs. Not that we got everything we desired, far from it.

My mother and I went shopping at a discount store and there was a dotted Swiss fabric suit on a mannequin. The fabric was a navy blue with little white dots. The skirt was straight and the jacket was plain with long sleeved and button down the front. The only addition was white eyelet lace around the neck, down the front and at the bottom of the long sleeves. I fell in love with that dress and wanted it so very badly. Silly thing was my mom could have made it at any time. There was just something about buying the perfect dress in that store that attraction my attention and left me yearning for that blue suit. I mentioned it to my mom. She didn't feel the need at that time to purchase it. I understood. It was, after all, a luxury even at a discount price. While I was accepting of the reality, in my heart I yearned for that perfect suit and still remember it exactly as it was to this day. Years later my mother and I were talking and I mentioned that in our conversation. She even remembered the moment and the dress and said, "If I had known it would mean that much to you, I might have bought it for you."  That was very comforting. I knew she meant it.

Today Michael brought the Mini's to Lexington. Andie had a thing she had volunteered for at their school all day today. Michael was going to watch the Mini's. Then something came up for Michael to attend in Lexington that meant a lot to him. So, Claude and I agreed to take on the Mini's for a few hours in Lexington. Our plan...lunch at Cici's Pizza and then off to the Lexington Arboretum and specifically the Children's Garden in that arboretum.

As soon as the Mini's got us in their car and Michael sped off in my car, Hayden started laying the groundwork for what he wanted to do. He was sure we should see another movie, or go bowling or...find a tree to climb. He was quite willing to forego everything in Lexington to go out to Sadieville and find a tree to climb. It didn't take us long to figure out the desire of his heart for today was to climb a tree. Oh my!!

We ate at Cici's Pizza. Bailey was overjoyed with mac & cheese pizza.  Hayden tried to pretend he was the claw game in their arcade when he ate his brownie.

Amazingly, the kids weren't that eager to play any of the arcade games. Claude had even collected all his quarters and had them at the ready. Each were given a dollars worth and Bailey used hers and Hayden didn't use any of his. Hayden was really fixed on finding a tree to climb. So...off to the Arboretum.

 

I was sure they would not want him climbing the trees in the Arboretum.  We did find some in the parking lot he could try to climb. He was such a happy young man when he got up in that tree.

We tried several trees and he had great success at each tree. I told him my rule with Katelyn, when she was his age and we lived in Maryland and had climbable trees beside the house, was 'Don't climb any higher than you can get down by yourself. I'm not coming up after you.' This was fine with Hayden and he enjoyed every minute of his tree climbing experience, from being a sloth, to swinging up to get on or down, to just sitting and enjoying the moment.

 

 

After an appropriate amount of time, and since Claude and Bailey had already forged ahead in the Arboretum, I encouraged Hayden to come and at least see what they were playing on.  We found them where there are lot of logs and tree stumps to climb on.

  

We managed to make our way to the Children's Garden area. This was actually where Claude and I intended to take them.  We only played in two areas of this large part of the Arboretum. Hayden and Bailey first played in the pond. There are lots of little pretend fishing poles. I believe the Mini's were sure they could catch a real fish. And there were fish nets to help you bring in your catch. There was a boat which was closed, much to the Mini's chagrin. Bailey heard a frog and did much searching to try and find that frog. Hayden saw an object by a rock and on the bottom that clearly was out of place. He spent a great deal of time trying to get it up from the bottom of the pond. He managed it finally and it turned out to be a net someone dropped into the pond.

 

The other area of the Children's Garden the Mini's enjoyed was the stream and waterfall into the Children's Garden.  Hayden tried it first, then I retrieved Bailey from the pond to try it. They had great fun. The lesson learned is to bring kids with a change of clothes and things you don't mind them getting wet in. It was a hot day and the cool water felt great to them.

 

 

 

And then it was time to get Claude back to Georgetown to pick up his Jeep. It took a little prying to get the Mini's out of that stream. I texted Michael and we met him at Frank Shoop.

 

A good time was had by all. Hayden fulfilled that yearning in his little soul to climb a tree. I'm sure both Mini's will want a return trip to the Children's Garden at the Lexington Arboretum. Claude and I will remember to bring extra clothes and shoes for them and towels. And, I have fulfilled a great desire of my heart to build good memories with my grandmonsters.