Spring Break, Sarah Kate, and The Ultimate Driving Experience

With the blessing of the time change came longer days, and the weather has been beautiful here almost since the moment the school bell rang on Friday afternoon, signaling the start of Sarah Kate’s spring break. Since then, she discovered a newfound love for pushing Nathan around the neighborhood in his little red car, so we’ve done it at least once per day (sometimes multiple times) so far during the break.

She doesn’t just plod along, either. She creates The Ultimate Driving Experience.

They have breakdowns, she changes flat tires after driving over “potholes”, and they stop for fill-ups at the gas station (also known as the porta-potty outside of a house under construction one street over).

Daisy the Wild Westie tags along – usually on the leash save the one time on Saturday that she busted out of the unlatched side gate. Unencumbered by her tether, she galloped alongside the two adventurers.

Nathan loved the rides on the car with Sarah Kate so much that on Sunday he began signing the word “car” and climbed aboard Mr. Andi’s similar-looking red Toro lawnmower when Sissy wasn’t available to push him. Never fear – the lawnmower wasn’t running and hadn’t been, so there was no danger of a little dude burning himself.

On Monday, the third consecutive day of The Ultimate Driving Experience, Mr. Andi was working late, so the four of us headed out after dinner. Sarah Kate decided to up the ante – breakdowns and low fuel tanks were now passé – and introduce elements of Indiana Jones in which they dodged giant boulders and men with blow darts.

Along the way, we picked up Neighbor Boy M who had just finished his nightly bath and escaped into the street in his pajamas.

As we rounded the corner toward home, we encountered a vicious beast – the dreaded black & white tail-less monster (a.k.a., our tomcat, Doc).

As we finished our nightly walk, I pleaded with Sarah Kate to let me photograph her in the early evening light before going into the house. She was less than enthusiastic, but I still managed to capture a tiny bit of the real girl inside – silly, bright, and beautiful.

In some ways, Sarah Kate’s Big Sister Experience hasn’t been like that of her peers who are big siblings. She’s seven years older than Nathan, and she can’t do some things like carry him. It’s only a matter of time – months, not years – before he’ll be able to outrun her in the yard. But Sarah Kate loves her little brother. He’s the one she asked God for when Mr. Andi and I told her she’d always be an only child. I can’t wait to see how their relationship develops over the years.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.