It was raining hard yesterday.
What a way to spend a "special holiday". Now don't get me wrong - I like rainy days. It allows me to catch up on my much needed sleep - or on my viewing (believe it or not, I have not seen Transformers 2 yet).
Yesterday, I chose the former. So I curled up in bed underneath a warm blanket and just let the raindrops lull me to sleep.
And then she came.
She tugged at me and asked me one simple question: "Dada, can I take a bath in the rain?"
I got up and followed Julia Amaris into the kitchen, where she spun around and looked up at me with her "begging look" and pouting lips.
"Pleeeease?..."
It was raining hard enough, so I gave in and simply told her to be careful.
The joy immediately showed in her face as she skipped out the door.
I followed her outside to watch her. A couple of other kids up the street were already playing in the rain, and Julia Amaris was just enjoying herself right in front of our house.
"Why don't you play with them?" I asked her.
"No, I want you to play with me, Dada" was her reply. At first I said I'd just watch her instead, but before I knew it I found myself fetching a pail and tabo and filling it with water. When Julia Amaris saw what I was bringing, her face lightened up even more.
Yes, I ended up playing with Julia - in the rain!
I'd chase her with a tabo-full of water and try to drench her even more (though I stayed in the garage most of the time). Julia would challenge me to wet her if I could, and would just run up and down the street in front of me.
A while later, Jeng came outside, bringing with her a basin of ice (she was defrosting the freezer), and she started tossing ice shavings at Julia, who'd scream with delight everytime she got splashed with water and ice shavings at the same time.
As the rains started to subside a little I told Julia Amaris to come back inside to take a warm shower.
She obeyed without protest.
As she came in, she gave me a big, soaking wet hug. As she did, she said "Dada, I wish there was more ice and water". I said that she had had enough, and that surely she was feeling cold already.
Julia Amaris hugged me tighter and said, "I know. But if I'm feeling cold, then you will hug me more to keep me warm..."
Yes, it was raining hard yesterday - but there was a warmth that just couldn't be dampened by any amount of rain.
