Surprise Message

This morning, walking to the bus, my daughter lagged behind.  She was playing in the snow, dragging her hands and feet and, seemingly, experiencing the wonders of learning about something through direct contact with it.  We had enough time.  We can see the bus coming a few minutes before it stops at our place, so we ambled, my son and I, as she dawdled.

At the end of the driveway, right before the bus came, she said to me, in all seriousness, “Daddy, when you walk back, don’t walk in the middle of the driveway;  it is for a surprise.”  She was firm, “Don’t forget, it’s for a surprise.”  Her phrasology, as it were, led me to think that she had something planned for her own return trip down the driveway.  I imagined she wanted a clean slate to do whatever it was she had in mind with the unmarked snow.  She just didn’t have time right then.

After she left, the bus curving down the road with her on board, my son and I walked back to find the message above.  We were surprised.  It was a great surprise indeed.  Both of us lauded her as we crunched the rest of the way to the house.  Now, in the dark, it is still there.  I was careful not to drive on it.

Of course, it looks to snow tonight, perhaps a lot.  The message will be gone tomorrow.  Seeing it was a moment I won’t forget soon.  That kid of mine, she’s pretty great.