Every time we encounter people who are not in our family, Kendra tells Hadley something like, “Are you ready to go see our friends?” Yesterday she said this when we were on our way to drop Hadley off at a drop-in daycare so we could have a few hours of productivity. Since Kendra’s a stay-out-home working mom, drop-in daycares are a blessing.

As the newcomer to their routine, I don’t really understand. If it’s a drop-in, it seems unlikely that Hadley will know the children playing. Nevertheless, Hadley gets so excited when she’s going to go see her friends. She says it over and over, “Mom! I wanna go play with my friends!”

Then today, Kendra had a photo session scheduled for a baby. She explained to Hadley that soon the client was coming over and then Hadley would have to play upstairs while Mommy took pictures in the studio in the basement. Hadley translated: friends are coming over?

Don’t you love when children say such adorable and innocent and profound things without knowing it? It’s why Hadley is our inspiration. Everywhere we go this summer, we are going to meet new friends. We’re going to – hopefully – become a part of their lives for a day or two or three and – hopefully – by the end, we will have something for you to see or read that will make you feel like they’re your friends too.

It’s not terribly important. She just made me think.

T

Essence, Friends, Hadley About, North Dakota Project, Personal