I was sitting at my computer checking email a few days ago while the kids were getting their daily dose of Noggin TV. Dinner was in the crockpot, and The Narrator was due home in an hour. It really was a peaceful moment. Suddenly, I realized it was raining. I looked out the window and it was pouring, but the sun was shining as bright as could be, as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I smiled and thought to myself, “that’s rainbow weather!” I then turned back to my computer, and poised my hands to reply to a message when I stopped in my tracks.
Have you seen the commercials lately for Sprint internet I think it is? I believe it’s a card you can get for your computer and this older guy goes to these crazy end-of-the-earth places and is all excited to find the internet, but in the background he’s missing the Abominable Snowman or the leprechaun with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. They are pathetic commercials, really. But I realized I was about to be that old guy. I could turn back to the internet, or I could go chase a rainbow.
“Little Miss! It’s raining! Hurry, go get your shoes and let’s go look for a rainbow!!” She jumped out of her chair and T-Rex was right behind her. We rounded up shoes and umbrellas and wandered out into the driveway in the pouring rain. As soon as I stepped out the front door, I saw a faint rainbow running right through our orange tree and ending in our driveway. If I turned my head just slightly, it disappeared. It was as if it was a rainbow just for me. We stood at the end of the driveway and looked every which way for a rainbow. We didn’t see another one, but we sure did have a good time. Little Miss talked for days about going out in the rain with the umbrellas and looking for rainbows, and seeing the oranges on our tree.
I’d rather be a rainbow chaser with my kids than caught up on all my email any day!
Isn’t that the truth! It’s amazing how much we miss in life because we are all wrapped up in the “necessary” things of this world. Or so we think they are important at the time. Much more important to go chase God’s promises instead.
Thanks for this beautiful reminder. It is so easy to wish that I had time to do this or that, then when I have time to spend it doing things that are perhaps good, but not really important or not really what I want to be known for. Even though it sometimes seems like the baby/toddler/pre-school years last forever, I know they will be gone so quickly and my children will no longer care about chasing rainbows. Thanks again for the reminder.
I must ask though – their daily dose of Noggin? Have you gotten a tv? Please don’t read any judgement into that. There is none at all intended. However, last I knew you didn’t even own a tv & the little ones just watched DVDs on the computer.
My mom taught me to recognize rainbow weather, too. I always look out all the windows when it seems likely, but we haven’t ventured out with umbrellas and the whole works. I’ll have to be more adventurous next time!
Did you also know that if it rains when the sun shines it will rain again at the same time tomorrow? I don’t think it’s always true, but that’s some more weather lore from my childhood!
I love your blog…and love the moment you captured with your kids.
I can’t wait to read more.