Fondness

Yesterday I hung out with one of my dearest friend's kids. The kids were really well behaved. If you're like me, you probably fall for the darling mischievous types. My memo board would be covered with pictures of the cutest kids on the planet if only I carried a camera with me everywhere. Such are these.

We cleaned house, played, watched a movie, made dinner, put on a concert. While we were eating I told the kids their parents would be back soon and I would have to leave for Awana. "Can I go?" asked the four year old? It took me some time to convince her she had to stay.

Mac & Cheese devoured, we returned to our movie. Since I have never seen Akeelah and the Bee before, I was pretty focused. My friend and her husband returned, and I began to wish her kids good-bye so I wouldn't be late. The little girl (who looks just like a blonde Cabbage Patch doll) squeezed my neck and said, "Don't forget your shoes, tebu." ('tebu' has no definition to my knowledge. It is just a Dr. Seuss type rhyming device.) "I won't, silly," I answered.

It didn't take me that much longer to finish my good-byes. I hurried to the front room where I had left my three bags and shoes. However, only one shoe was present. I slipped it on my foot and called my little friend's name. Of course she came running. "Where is my shoe?" I asked.

"I didn't take it." A little later, "I don't know. Did you look for it?"

"Where would I look?" Admit, I'm at a disadvantage here. I'm in a hurry. She's not the two year old who hid behind a lamp post a few years ago, or under a piece of paper. The shoe could be anywhere, and it's her house!

"Did you look... here?" Her voice goes up in excitement and she produces my shoe just like a salesman at the store. She told me her brother took it. He had been asleep for the past hour.

Kids are cute. I don't endorse lying. But the sentiment was nice. She wanted to keep me there. Little did she know I seriously considered just leaving barefoot. I was in a hurry!

To God be all glory.