The Waiting Game

It is a personal mantra of mine to never be caught waiting without something to read. A few examples to illustrate:

If I'm going somewhere in the car, I always bring a book with me. This is true regardless of whether it's a 15-minute run to the store or a nine-hour trip to my parents' house. It's true. Just ask Mike.

However, as much as I love audio books, if I'm the one driving, I rarely listen to one in the car. I just get too distracted and engrossed in the story, so it's not safe.

I definitely bring a book to appointments where I'll have to do some waiting. (And if it's an appointment where I didn't bring my boys along, then I even hope I'll have to do some waiting so I can get in some good reading!)

But here is what I've discovered about waiting...

While I might hope to fill in all that empty time with a book, my expectations often go unfulfilled.

For example, when my kids are playing outside and all I'm doing is supervising, I grab my book in anticipation of some relaxing fun in the sun. Check out this picture:

See? Doesn't this just look heavenly? Me, stretched out in the soft grass with the warm sun resting on my back, lost in the world of a good story with the laughter of my children merely a delightful soundtrack in the background.

Well, guess what, folks? This photo was STAGED. 100%. My four-year-old took it. (It only took us about fifty tries to get one that wasn't blurry). And I didn't read a single word during that time. Instead, I was doing a lot of this:

(Pulling Bradley out of the dirt)

And this:

(Rescuing Bradley from the tree house.)

(We didn't get a clear version of this one. When working with a four-year-old, I have to take what I get.)

And, no, these photos were NOT staged.

But the good thing about me is that I never give up. Just this morning, the boys and I went to one of our favorite parks, the one that always proves to be uncrowded with plenty of shade. In a display of true optimism, I brought along a book. And guess what? I actually read five pages!! Not all at the same time, but hey, I think I'm making some progress.

Sorry, though, no photographic proof. The four-year-old was busy riding his scooter.

(I linked this post to Where in the World are You Reading?, hosted by Lisa.)