Tadpole Hunting

Tradition is anything that is repeated over and over again and ours makes a family memory.  Tadpole hunting is a tradition in this home-school-male-dominated household.  This once-girly-dancer, a  "screaming-at-bugs,-ignorant-about-sports" mom turned in her girly dancing shoe ways to explore the outdoors with her children.  Spring meant loading up the car with nets, jars and picnic lunches to venture out to the nearby river-flowing park.  My four little ducklings (and later five) would excitedly gather in the van for a tadpole hunting adventure.  Before we exited our van, I would give all the precautions, because I had very small ones at the time.  The three boys would listen intently and follow all rules...I was not going to have to pull them from the stream.  MY DAUGHTER (just so you're sure which one it was) always nodded in agreement with a subtle smile, warning you that following the rules for her were (and still are)... optional.

Each year this energetic, nature-hiking mother would believe the past year's excursion would NOT be repeated ....but then tradition means repeated events...RIGHT?

Yesterday, I took number six on a tadpole hunt.  This time, it was only him and me.   We ventured down to the nearby creek.  As we walked, I told him about the tradition that was established by "Sissy".

Through giggles, he asked me questions about my adventures with "Sissy," while we explored for tadpoles.

"Yes, Sissy................."  that's right. Each year my ONLY GIRL, with the twinkle of "rules are option" in her eyes would FALL into the creek!  Not just once, not just twice, but EVERY year.  Somehow she would manage to "SLIP" into the creek.  All the boys would laugh and say, "NICOLE!!" as we would pull her from the water.

I will know if they read my blog - now age 27, 22, 20 and 25!

I know we found tadpoles and we brought them home to our little pond...for science, but the memory that became tradition was her falling into the creek.

My little one laughs over what "Sissy" did and this mother looks back and smiles also..."Yes, Sissy ALWAYS fell into the creek!"  I am sure there were times this unprepared mother (who didn't bring an extra set of clothes or towels) didn't think it was all that silly. But as we all tell the story of tadpole hunting, that is what we all remember.

Now that "Sissy" is still transitioning through her stages of life like the tadpole, she might even be "kissing some frogs"...but I know the Prince of Peace holds her in His hands.  Thank you God, for tadpoles and falling into the creek, which continues to remind this mother that "slipping" can later be celebrated as a tradition.

Don't we all kiss some frogs in life before we really enjoy the Prince?
Oh, daughter approved post...she loved it!