The sweetest thing

I'm trying to get over the fact that I did something really dumb today. I borrowed my mother's new digital SLR camera to give it a test at Thomas' class picnic today. It was the end-of-the-year event for ALL of the 3s classes (and many siblings like Parker tagged along). I took pictures as the children played on the playground. Pictures of Parker, pictures of Thomas, pictures of Thomas and his best buddies. I snapped away as the kids had a sack race and other games out on the field. I kept capturing the moment when the class had lunch and then the teachers handed out their "diplomas" during circle time. And I was still happily clicking away when the boys checked out Spray Play (the big fountains of play). I must have taken about 100 pictures. Or so I thought.

A few times I noticed when I turned it on, the camera said something like "no card" for just a moment, but it seemed to be taking pictures just fine. But I never took time to review what I had. Then as I was sitting at Spray Play, reveling in the beautiful moment I had just captured on film, I realized my goof. I left the memory card in my computer the night before. The "no card" notice was accurate. And "no card" meant "no pictures." I felt like a dolt. And worse, I missed some wonderful pictures.

So in an effort to drown my sorrows, I keep thinking back on my happiest moment of the day. I even made Thomas recreate the moment a little bit. :)

Spray Play is basically a large sprinkler and water fountain for kids to run around and enjoy. It has a padded floor, and about ten jets of water (that come on and off on a timer) around a semi-circle with a large constantly spraying fountain in the middle. The jets on the outside are about eight feet or so apart and they come on for about 20 seconds, starting small and going pretty high before turning off for about a minute.

Here's one just as it starts to spray out:


And when it gets to its highest/strongest point:


Thomas loves to pick one streaming jet and sit on it and wait for the water to spout out. Parker, however, is not so keen on sprinklers or spraying fountains.

Parker finally worked up the courage and walked over to the puddles around the edge (while the streaming jets were off).  He was having a lot of fun.  Then the water came on, hit him in the face and he freaked out.  I was three jets away (I'd have to walk through all of them to get to him).  He moved away from the jet, crying and wailing, and moved in between two of them (Thomas was sitting on the one the next over).  I didn't think Thomas noticed him, so I was about to go rescue him when Thomas looked back and saw him.  He jumped up and rushed over to Parker, and hugged him in such a way that was saying, "I will protect you."  I think he even had one of his hands cupped behind Parker's head.  It was something like this:



(of course in the re-enactment, Parker is smiling.  It wasn't that way at Spray Play!  There, he just buried his head in Thomas' chest.)

Then as soon as the water turned off, he lovingly took Parker by the arm and led him back over to me.  It was the absolute sweetest thing in the world.  My heart melted and tears came to my eyes.  I was so proud of Thomas for looking out for his little brother...particularly without even being asked!  Parker went back a few minutes later and the scene repeated itself again.  Then Parker decided he wasn't going back.  :)

Even though there are times that being a parent of two boys makes me tired to my very core, it is moments like that that make me so happy that we have our two boys, two years apart.  These boys may fight sometimes, but they also love each other with a love that is so sweet and unique to brothers.


I pray that they always love each other...and have each other's back.


And I hope Thomas can forgive his dunce of a mother for missing proper documentation of his special day!