Just a Little Trip to the Zoo…

In the words of my little man N, “Today was Epic!”

It was just a little trip to the zoo.  NBD (No Big Deal – for those in the over 40 crowd).  What’s so EPIC about that?  I mean, the word ‘Epic’ conjures up the likeness of some over-the-top, mind-blowing, headline-worthy experience, right?  Lions, Tigers and Bears, behind fences and glass walls, is not EPIC – this is what most of you are thinking anyway.  Am I right?

Here’s the thing…it’s all about perspective.  I was blessed to spend an entire day with my SuperKid, with a capital ‘S’.  And he was happy – for 99.9% of the day. And it was awesome.  That little tenth of a percent that he wasn’t happy, he was sad.  He didn’t know why.  But see – this is normal for us.  He has ups and downs.  And the change in mood can occur in the time it takes you to take a breath, blink your eye, or read this word: happy.

To spend the day with his brilliant mind, free of the darkness that so often overcomes him was purely divine.  In every sense of the word.  Watching the happiness spread across his face, relax his shoulders and free his heart was a true gift.  We were in the moment today.  And not just one moment, but many.  So many I have to list them – if for no other reason, than for me to remember them days from now when we may be cloaked in darkness and pain.

1. As we drove to the Zoo, Noah told me he wants to start his own blog.  Seriously?  This is so cool.  I’ve been wanting to introduce him to words and thought and sharing – because his story is one that needs to be told, we can all learn from it.  But to date – you’ve only heard it from my lens.  More to come on this!
2. The Monorail – we took one last ride on the Monorail before the Minnesota Zoo retires it this September.
3. While riding the Monorail, Noah’s laughter bellowed through our train car when we watched a camel fall over sideways.  Hilarious.  Guess you had to be there.
4. Petting Sand Sharks.  The week after Shark Week.  And surviving.
5. Feeding Giraffes.  Real ones.  O. M. G. (Oh My Giraffe) they have the longest tongues ever.  
6. Eating Popcorn. Need I say more?  Who doesn’t like popcorn?!
7. The numerous times Noah pointed out scat/poo/excrement to me in the five hour visit – it’s funny now.  It wasn’t then.
8. Feeding goats – I found out they have the same problem I do – they cap out in height and then the more they eat, they just keep growing sideways, getting rounder and rounder – to the point they look like they are pregnant.  I hate it when that happens.
9. The Butterfly Garden.  I can’t quite explain it, but walking through the garden filled me with such love and appreciation, peace and contentment.
10. This video.  Full circle from #1 on this list.  He was totally serious in starting his own blog.  My. Heart. Is. Full.

Honorable mention: 2 bags of cotton candy (one for each of us, duh.),  sea otters (they swim on their backs folding their paws together like they’re praying), flamingos (they remind me of warm, tropical beaches…and you know how I love beaches!) and the endless   “thank you’s” I received from my SuperKid for taking him to the Zoo.

Just a little trip to the Zoo and…

It. Was. EPIC.

See? Told ya.