Summer

There is a picture I just took, which I was going to post, but I'll have to work on my knowledge of posting pictures to my blog. Until then, just follow my story....

The first thing in the picture that you might notice is the mismatched flip flops that belong to my darling daughter. The zebra print flip flop was a wonderful treasure from a box of summer clothes that my aunt sent both children. Like any other pair of shoes, they were not liked at first, hated I. Fact. The whining was atrocious! Fine, i found myself saying, wear whatever bloody shoes you want! Slowly, they were worn more often. Then, after a few weeks, I noticed there was only one. Where is the other one, I demanded to know. A shrug, I don't know, and a skip out the door ended the conversation.  If I was a responsible mom, I might have pursued her, chased her across the front yard, screaming for her to stop and go find her shoe. From past experiences, I knew I would lose that chase, so....I was irresponsible ;0). She had other choices. More time passed, with one flip flop living with the other shoes, alongside a singular croc. When I would get a wild hair up, I would attempt to ask where the others might be, but not really.

A sudden knock one afternoon startled me, as two of my daughter's friends were there holding the matching flip flop and croc! My joy was abounding; I had the matches, life was back to normal. I should have known better. I attempted to put away the shoes, but the zebra flip flop match was missing. How could that be??? I had just seen it. I'd been so careful not to lose it for all these weeks. *sigh*'I walked away, awaiting my child's return.

I might have asked her a few days later where the matching shoe was, so the reply should not have surprised me. Well, you see, mom, I wore one croc & one flip flop to ride my bike in the culdesac, but the zebra one was annoying me, so I took it off. I forgot it outside and it's just gone. But, hey, look, you found my other croc! Thanks, mom!! *sigh*

The other flip flop is red & black, but has become a match with the zebra flip flop. Why? Well, that would be because the other red one is missing, in the vast yard between our house & the neighbors. Don't worry,mom, I like these together.

The final pair of shoes are cleats, belonging to my son. He is in his first season of tackle football. He is not the most athletically inclined, working very hard in ever sport he's tried.  It is all new to me; I'm much more at home on a pool deck, screaming during a meet. His cleats are always together, in an OCD kind of way. I love that. It makes life grand not to spend hours searching for a pair of shoes. His joy and overwhelming passion for his sports is endearing, making my heart want to burst. I'm proud of him for wearing his cleats every.single.day, and not losing one.

I love my opposite children, truly I do. I also need them to go back to school, where tennis shoes are required. My daughter can't lose one of those and my son will ave a break from his cleats. Until the first day arrives, if you find a red & black Reef flip flop, just drop it in my front step.....