tiny engineer

Earlier today I posted a picture to instagram of Luke sitting on the couch, watching the train around our tree. He literally sat there, still as a stone, for three minutes. I couldn't believe it.

Soon after I posted the picture, Madeline stopped the train and absentmindedly left the remote on the floor. Let me assure you that Luke is not one for passing up opportunities. I watched him carefully lower himself from his seat on the couch and walk most of the way to the control. He sat down (in the dreaded 'w' position I can't seem to get him to stop), pushed the go button and again watched the train circle the tree. 

It was magical watching his face full of wonder and glowing from the light of the tree. His eyes shifted from the controller to the train. Back and forth, back and forth. I thought the moment would last forever...

But as you know, curiosity always gets the best of little boys. Eventually he derailed the train and the moment was gone. A rather large baby tantrum ensued as I put the control away and the rest of our day was anything but magical.

I'm grateful, though, for this brief break in my day, that let me appreciate my little boy who's growing up all too quickly. Grateful to be able to look at these pictures, even now, and think, "Hey, today wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps I can do it again tomorrow." 

I think we'll remember what we want from our lives, when we look back someday. I hope I don't forget that this stage of life is hard. There's been an awful lot of Christmas cookie eating and ugly crying though Christmas movies lately because I'm just so dang stressed! And I don't know why. Well I do, but I don't, ya know? 

When I look back on my life, though, I hope I remember that life was good. Because life IS good. It's great. It's full of magic moments between the mundane. Moments we'll miss if we aren't paying attention.

Moments like watching a tiny engineer under a Christmas tree.