Swing Away

This afternoon I was outside with the kids when Tessie’s friend Jack, from next door, wandered over asking Tes if she wanted to come play.  She walked up the hill with him, and after a visit to the chickens, Christian and I followed. 

We played outside with our friends for awhile and my kids were especially into the swing set.  I sat Christian on a swing and, holding on tight, pushed him for awhile.  He thought it was a riot, my back did not really agree, and so I ended up moving him to the hammock before it spasmed.  What really tugged at my heart, however, was watching Tes on the swings.

Tessie has always been a very cautious girl.  She sat up at five months, but didn’t crawl until ten months, and didn’t walk until fifteen and a half.  She has never been a climber, barely even a runner.  Just recently she as finally started to jump with both feet off the ground at the same time.  So needless to say, when it comes to the swings, Tessie has been less than enthusiastic. 

Today she got on the “big girl swing” and happily swung away.  Not very high, and not very fast, and with a bit of trepidation, but she enjoyed it thoroughly.  The look on her face was beyond priceless and I felt such pride seeing her taking, what she considered to be, a big risk.  Her trip into the land of big kid swings was truly a beautiful adventure, and one I think we will be repeating soon.