We dropped Namine off at my parents’ house yesterday morning before heading downtown. Some years, we’ve run the children’s game area; we didn’t have to get there quite so early, and Namine could come along to make crafts and things. But this year, like last year, Jessica and I were selling tickets. We had to be there early and there was nothing to occupy a five year old.
We were done selling tickets around noon, so we collected our free meal tokens and grabbed a bite before heading back to my parents’ house. My grandparents, my sister, my brother, and my sister-in-law were already gathered there in combined celebration of Father’s Day and my brother and sister-in-law’s anniversary. My mom had made shish-ka-bobs and grilled potatoes. Yum!
My sister and I took turns pushing Namine on the swing in the back yard for a while, until the weather turned. It started to rain, so we headed home.
By the time we got home, of course it had quit raining and was nice and sunny again. So I decided to go for a walk, and Namine wanted to come with me.
When Namine and I go for a walk, we usually go to what she calls the “big playground.” There’s a small playground across the street from our apartment, and there is a larger one (thus its name) about a mile away. When we go to that park, we usually stay a while to play and then head home again.
The past few times Namine and I have gone to the big playground, she’s led the way and has needed very little help getting there. This time, she needed a little help now and then — mostly because she’s still got a cough and tires a little more easily — but still did most of the work. Since a round trip of going to the park and back is nearly two miles, and she does much of that herself, I think she’ll be able to do quite a bit of the Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk by herself.
On the way home, Namine jammed one of her fingers on her wheel. She asked me to push her the rest of the way. We were almost home, but even if we hadn’t been, I still would have said yes.
As we came within sight of our apartment building, Namine exclaimed, “I see our home!” She grabbed her wheels and rushed ahead of me once more. “I got it, Daddy!” she said. “My finger still hurts but I can get us home. I’m Super Namine to the rescue, and I’ll never give up!”
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