Special Place

***The details of this event may be slightly exaggerated (and sarcastic) due to spending so much time teaching 4th graders to elaborate on their "small moments" of life.***

Isaac and I had to get out of the house this morning while the carpets were being cleaned. It was somewhat sunny, so I decided to take him to one of my favorite spots from my childhood--Juanita Wetlands. I must say I was pretty excited to share this place with him; I was feeling pretty nostalgic and all. Thinking how much fun he'll have running along the boardwalk, looking at ducks, me taking some fall pictures. I have the fondest memories of walking there on field trips, learning about all the birds and the importance of protecting wetlands. This was where my high school boyfriend and I had our first real date, the location of our photo shoot for a treasured portrait of my mom's extended family.

Our time got off to a decent enough start. Mostly consisting of me chasing Isaac and trying to coax him to actually walk down the boardwalk and desperately trying to get one good picture of him. Eventually he wanted a drink. Okay. I gave him his sippy cup. Apparently, I momentarily forgot that I am mother to a B-O-Y--a climbing, crazy, curious, throwing, busy boy. In somewhat of slow motion I watched as he neared the fence. My mind went to what was about to happen, but my body wasn't quick enough. I lunged forward just as Isaac gleefully tossed his cup up and into the wetlands.

He immediately says, "this" and points to his cup which is now floating in this protected duck habitat. All I could do was stare in horror at his plastic blue and green sippy. All those years of hearing about never littering and leaving the wetlands as we find them. What would Mrs. Robertson, my outdoor ed. teacher, think?! My son had defiled our precious childhood spot. Ducks and other wildlife will now meet certain death because of Isaac's careless, unknowing act.

I am snapped back into reality by the grunting of Isaac as he was very determinedly climbing the fence to retrieve his cup. He was suprisingly nearing the top of the rather tall fence. It was a long way down into muddy water, mind you. For a split second, I did consider attempting to fish the cup out myself. Instead, I took a deep breath, looked around and was relived to see that no one else had seen the shameful act. I quickly buckled kicking screaming Isaac into his stroller.

At this point, I had a very poingnant talk with my son about littering. I'm pretty sure he took it to heart. We'll see him one day soon cleaning up trash along the highways--not as punishment for a crime or anything like that though. I will, however, always be left with the image of Isaac's sippy cup (and the Bud Light can floating next to it) tarnishing this pristine, cherished place.



Isaac reaching for his sippy cup. It's by his hand.