Dear Em,
A few weeks ago the County Fair was in town. We had no intention of going to the fair this year. You had a boot protecting your right ankle, & we were trying our best to keep your foot up as much as possible.
On the night of the fair fireworks, we put you in a wagon & pulled you across the street. I held you in my arms as we oohed & ahhed over the pops of color. I was satisfied with the fun family evening. You were incredibly distressed. We had already missed the Seafood Festival for the first time since you were born. Seeing the lit up rides & games as we pulled you past was more than you could bear. Tears ran down your cheeks when you realized we had only made our way over to the fairgrounds for the fireworks. You wanted to ride the rides. You wanted to dance to the music.
Luckily for you, we saw the specialist the next day. He agreed that you could go to the Fair...as long as you wore your boot. You were happy to comply. That night you, Daddy, Nonnie, & I headed back over to the Fairgrounds. Your wish was to go on every ride, & you did just about that.
After we were out of ride tickets, we checked out the animals & plants & vegetables. We left the fair, all of us happily tired from a full & fun family night. As we walked back, a huge smile spread across your face. There's nothing like a County Fair to cure the I-ruptured-a-ligament-in-my-ankle-&-have-had-to-sit-with-my-foot-up-for-a-month blues.
A couple days later we hosted our annual Hickfest BBQ. Typically, we dress in a little bit more countrified version of ourselves, & we celebrate the fact that we live in a small, Podunk town with horse farms within walking distance. We order brisket from a local BBQ that runs out of a school bus. We have family & friends that come back year after year, & I think my favorite part of our annual BBQ is that we get to catch up with people & see how everyone's families have grown. There seems to be at least one new baby each & every year.
I don't know if when I was growing up living in a small town was part of my future plans, but I love the wide open spaces it gives you to grow. I also love when the County Fair comes into town. It's (surprisingly) one of the highlights of the year for me, & I'm so glad it was for you this year too...boot & all.
I love you so,
Mommy
No comments:
Post a Comment
While my letters are addressed to Em, we enjoy hearing from all our readers. Comments are always welcome. The ideas, inspiration, & support we get from other readers is one of the reasons I write. I try to respond to all comments. If you click the "subscribe by email" button underneath the comment box, you will get notifications when I have replied. Thank you for stopping by!