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One of our regular play dates is at a local church.  I always look forward to it.  There’s coffee for the mothers, a snack and craft for the kids, and ride on toys to race around the smooth tile floor of the basement.  I was doing childcare with the kids while the mothers discussed some things that needed to be ironed out.  I love watching all the kids.  I have two favorite things to do w/them.  The first is read to them. Those little faces all upturned, and their expressions slack-jawed with interest and absorption.  The second is to feed them.  I love all those greedy little hands raised up for more snacks.  My favorite is always the little kid who sits at the table the longest:  eating, eating, and eating.

While there, Buttercup ran up to a group of older boys who were playing tag.  She shouted out full throttle, “Let’s play hide and go seek!”  She loves to play hide and go seek.  How many hours have we spent with me walking around in circles calling her name while she prominently hides underneath a blanket in the middle of the room? 

The little boys did not want to play hide and go seek.  There was a ring leader to the group, and he yelled out, “We don’t want to play with you!”  Oh, my heart in my chest stopped, and I swiftly turned to look at her face.  How would she handle it?  I was expecting a stormy tearful event, but she just looked so quiet and still.

During the few seconds it took for me to feel my heart slowly start beating again, an adorable little girl that Buttercup is friends with stepped in and took her hand.  “Come on, let’s go!”  She and Buttercup ran away from those boys to go play together.  I could have kissed that little girl.  The sweetness, the happiness was back in Buttercup’s face, and it was her and her friend against the boys.  How often have my girlfriends brought me through tough challenges?  Well, Buttercup’s buddy is my new personal heroine.  I told my husband the story, and he said that the next time he saw Buttercup’s friend, he was going to give her chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate :)   Luckily for me, Buttercup and her friend are going to the same preschool in the fall.  Joy of joys.  I feel better knowing that she’ll have a friend on her side.