The Harrowing/Heartwarming Parent Moment of the Week

The winner this week is an exciting Momma/Boy walk and bike ride. In my misguided attempt to lose 10 lbs. I took my 3 boys on a 2 mile walk. The two younger ones still fit in our double stroller and my oldest just recently got his training wheels off and is able to accompany us via bike. We had hit the one mile mark and were on our way back when tragedy struck and Sweet Boy #1’s bike chain fell off. I used to be able to put it on quite well, but we recently got it tightened and…not so much anymore.

Our neighbor came pedaling by and I let every shred of pride I had ever grasped go flitting off into the trees and asked her for help. She is in her 60’s and has just completed a rigorous treatment of cancer bashing chemotherapy and is barely up on her bike again. But yep, I begged for help. Yeah me! There was a large puddle nearby, close to a culvert, and all three boys had wondered that direction as we poked at the bike chain with sticks and exclaimed to one another how very stuck it seemed to be.

Then Chaco, one of our most beloved counselors, drove up in his tiny red car. We flagged him down and looked appropriately helpless. The boys continued to splash away, wilder by the moment. Chaco managed to pop the chain completely off. But quickly righted it again and we were ready to go.

I looked over at the boys. The older two had removed their sandals, but Sweet Boy#3 was in his little red Converse high tops. He was standing on the road and then leaping, like a young Wookie or Kamikaze hopeful, deep into the midst of the puddle. He was wet up to his waist but otherwise unscathed. Sweet Boy #2 was also wet up to his waist but had gotten several scrapes on his legs during his muddy frolic. Sweet Boy #1 however, was wet up to his chin (strangely he is the tallest of the three) and had a puncture in the back of his calf (not sure if this was from the puddle) and a huge inch long slice in the bottom of his foot. He said it was a stick, I’m just glad that we are all up on our tetanus shots because I would hate to see the stick that would leave that kind of wound. But all is well at the moment. They are all bathed and band-aided and sleeping blissfully dreaming of other, less poky puddles to conquer. I just hope my supply and anti-bacterial ointment holds out.