Gratitude Friday...

On Wednesday, God redeemed the playground.

Right?

Hey, look, I didn't even know that was a thing either.

On Wednesdays, the usual playground at Aubrey Kate's school is closed for the extended care kids.  Most of those days, we go home instead of playing at all.  But the last two weeks, after listening to pleading and begging for weeks on end, we went up to the back of the church to play in the "Dragon Park."  

Odd, but yes, there's a dragon statue in the park.  At a church.  I like to think of it as Pete's Dragon and therefore, not at all scary.  But more loving and willing to light that lighthouse for Dad to find his way home.

Most of the precious kids from Aubrey Kate's class do not come up to that playground.  I'm guessing they do what we usually do and go home.  However, there are some other kids up there.  Specifically, a group of four slightly older (so maybe kindergarten) boys who play up there.  

Last week, they played by themselves while Rhys and Aubrey Kate played together.  My kids are a good team on the playground.  Melts my heart.

This week, though, was different.  Aubrey Kate claimed to have a sore throat so she was on the bench with me.  Leaving Rhys to play on his own.  Those four boys who ignored him the previous week decided to include him this week.

And by "include" I mean harass him.

It may have started out innocently but it quickly became not.  

I started following along...at a safe distance...and heard some awful things coming from these boys' mouths.  One specific little boy was horrible.  At one point, Rhys turned around in the middle of being chased, pointed directly at him and said, "YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND!  LEAVE ME ALONE!"

And Rhys was right.

We left as soon as I could gather everyone up.  Rhys was not happy because, really, he didn't have time to actually play.  He'd spent the whole 15 minutes we were there basically defending himself.  I was sad for him.  Very aware he needs to be in school next year with boys his age.  

My momma heart hurt for him.  

That afternoon we hit the mall playground.  It was a little chilly outside and my children have a thing about coats.  

(Listen, before you get all "Who's in charge?  You or the kid?" on me, I make them wear coats.  But making them wear them equals miserable children and truthfully, I'd rather have happy kids to play with than tantrum throwing ones.  Thus I select activities where a coat is not a necessity.  I'm in charge and so I picked an indoor playground.  So judgy claws down, people.)

Like Paradise Pond, we only hit the mall about once a month.  I try to keep things on a rotation of sorts.  Sometimes the mall is great and other times it's not.  Depends on the other kids there.  

But that day, the kids were all the perfect ages.  Not too big and not too small.  

Yes, I realize I am determining "perfect" based solely on the ages of my own kids.  Because really, let's get real here and say, the perfect age is 6 months.  Before the whole crawling, walking, talking stuff starts but they can sit up on their own which is BLISS.

Rhys quickly found a friend.  A crazy adorable little boy named Aiden.  He and Rhys became fast friends.  I sat wide eyed and with a stupid grin on my face as my little man made a friend.  They pretended and built and ran and jumped and oh my word, it was all kinds of boy fabulousness.

Aubrey Kate got a little miffed.  Rhys belongs to HER and he was not at all interested in playing with her.  Thankfully, a girl her age arrived soon so they played together.  

I sat there and realized I was witnessing a redemption of the earlier playground experience.  

God gave me, and Rhys, another chance.  Another playground.  Another friend.  Another opportunity to experience joy!

Goodness, isn't our Father the best?  Healed my momma heart and gave my little man a beautiful experience!