There Are Stars Out...

The evening began with a cold, crisp walk, upon which after her very first steps Zoey looked up to exclaim her unique brand of wonder at the November sky...full of stars, and gauze-like clouds, soft and whispy, set in contrast with the brightly shining heavens behind them.

"Look Dad," she nearly exploded, "There are stars out."

Indeed there were, and I hadn't even noticed.  As it too often is, there is just her and I, and nothing much to notice.  She steals that much of my attention and heart.  Tonight she was excited to come for a walk, down to the drug store and back...a thirty minute walk for certain, and she was bursting to tag along.  It wasn't too late, only 7:30pm maybe, and I wanted to spend that time in her company.  I wanted to laugh at her and sigh as I watched her run and skip ahead. So we put on our shoes and coats and set off.  That's when she noticed the stars.

It was quick to the bath when we arrived home, too early I might suggest.  Sometimes those walks could last oh-so sweetly forever and I'd be happy to have only that for the rest of my life.  We bathed, and bounced with Maggie and laughed with Mom, and then shot to bed whereupon we read Chapter 2 of Mary Poppins, in which Mary has her day off and absconds Bert to the fair in his chalk drawing.  She never made it past the tuppence in Bert's cap before she was snoring.  She missed the merry-go-round, and the tea, and the umbrella with the parrot handle. Of course, I kept reading because I'm no heathen, and a chapter is a chapter, if it's good enough to start then it's good enough to be finished.  Zoey fell asleep, to dreams of stars and softly illuminated night clouds, I'm sure, and I fell into my nightly routine of sitting in awe and wonder at this girl that we stumbled upon...so thoughtful and smart...so fun and curious.  I used to think that Mary Poppins was just about the greatest girl alive...not anymore.