The kids had an absolute blast today at the fair and so did I! The weather was perfect. The clouds kept some of the bigger crowds away it seems. We rode lots of rides, ate delicious chicken and potatoes, refilled our fresh lemonade as much as we wanted, had flavored ice cream, watched the dog and horse shows twice each, and walked until we couldn't anymore! Can't wait to do it again in a few weeks at Denver Days!
Family days like this are my favorite.... but they are always laced with the sadness of who is missing... Glory pretty much isn't afraid of anything... she will ride every ride and even asks to ride the really high and fast ones meant for older kids... There are some of the kiddie rides that Alex can't ride yet... I would let him if I could, but legally he is too short, even if he's strapped in next to Glory...so she has to ride many of these rides alone. As we are smiling and waving at our brave girl riding all by herself and enjoying it none the less, our hearts break a little sharper as the sister pairs pass us in the cars all around her.
It's just the hand we have been dealt. We walk around looking like the perfect family of 4 and are expected to just feel blessed with what we have.. and we do. Next year Alex will be big enough and they can ride together on all on the rides. And we will laugh and smile and wave at them happily like we always do.. then late at night, when everyone is asleep but me, I will write about the open space, the empty swing, the one less person in line, the unbuckled, unused seatbelt, and the person who I know was meant to fill it, but never got the chance.
riding the ferris wheel as a family
sweet girl still all smiles even riding alone, I can't help but see the seat next to her and feel sad.
Alex is allowed to ride the rides that an adult can go on, too!
We rode this mini ferris wheel together, just Mommy and Daughter. I still see the empty seatbelts and imagine what should have been...
