I'm Just Sittin' Right Here, Watchin' Airplanes...

Mitch's newly coined concept has been, "Just say 'yes' more."  If there's something your spouse or kids wants to do (and it's not crucially imperative that you shouldn't do it), then just say "yes"--even if it's not necessarily your first idea of fun.  We've all been trying to apply that in our family better, because too often we're too tired or too busy & before you know it, life is stifled for the ones you love.

Today I chose to drive to Phoenix to redeem some free tickets to a Suns game.  If I were more organized I would have found some sort of discounted pass to something cool like the Science Center, or a museum, but I just couldn't get out the door in time, and there was a deadline if I wanted my free tickets.  After we stood in line & got my freebies I asked Tyson what we should do next and he said he wanted to go watch the airplanes.  At first I was amazed because all I would have to pay for was parking!  Whoohoo!  I just saved a ton of $$$, you know!  But now I look at our trip to the airport & I'm amazed at how strongly I felt the spirit of love and happiness in something so simple with my kids.  I'm so glad I told him yes!

These are some of my favorite moments from today:

• Each time a plane took off from the runway, Tyson would take off his baseball hat and wave it as he watched the plane fly away.  I'm talking E-V-E-R-Y time!  Emmett even noticed & tried taking off his baseball hat, too.
• Each time a plan would land on the runway, he would clap for it.  : )
• Emmett's response to the airplanes was not as dramatic--he enjoyed squishing Capri Sun juice out of the straw, and walking around about as much as watching the planes, but occasionally he would look at the airplanes, point, and with lips perfectly protruded in a rounded O shape, say, "Oooh, oooh!"
• We determined that the planes that were driving slow were just afraid about flying right now.  Haha!
• After about 15 minutes I asked Tyson how much longer he wanted to stay.  His answer:  "Twenty-four-five minutes." 
• We wanted to see the airplanes better so we kind of snuck our stroller up a closed off ramp--it was the only way I could see that would get us to a prime airplane viewing position.  As we were sitting up there, after a while, a security truck pulled up and honked at us.  When I turned around, the guy waved--he was friendly & was trying to get my kids to wave, too. 
• "Are you guys watching the airplanes?" he asked us.
• "Yeah, is that okay?"  I thought for sure he'd make us go somewhere else.
• He smiled & responded, "That's what life's about!" and he drove away.

I couldn't agree with him more!  It felt so good to sit there with my kids watching the airplanes.  I told Tyson he had the best ideas ever--I just wanted to hug him forever.  I squoze him & told him, "I love you a million-billion times!"  Then I clarifed: "That means I love you so much that I will never stop loving you, no matter what!"  He said, "I will never stop loving you, either....I will love you 5 times."  (He must have meant 5 times forever, haha!)  I'm so grateful the Lord sends me these precious moments in time when we can just sit and watch airplanes take off and fly!