The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

Dashing to the car, to class, to the store, and through the front door soaking wet seems like the daily routine this winter. As much as we need it there is only so much singing in the rain one can do to make the best of a very wet season. During a recent break in yet another thunderstorm, and in that last hour of light; I grabbed my coat, collar, and baggies because the dog needed to get out before my youngest daughter came charging in from her play date.

With our newly rescued dog, who suffers from an uncanny obsession with windshield wipers (she hops like a pogo stick while barking incessantly), I made my way down the street to drop off a sleep-over bag for my older daughter. The fifteen minute walk was just what I needed; the reflection of the sun going down was like a spotlight across the clouds and I welcomed the cold breeze graciously …until I heard the honk, my younger daughter was home early. Thankfully my mom-friend caught my moment and offered to drop Callie at my destination. I picked up my pace.

With a quick drop-off and a scoop up of Callie I said good-night to my oldest daughter just as Callie realized she was now going to walk home. “Ahhhhh, mommmm I don’t want to walk.” “I’m tired.”

My kids love the outdoors and are enthusiastic hikers but the realization that one was walking while the other was playing just didn’t sit right. The tears began to roll as I strategized a distraction: “Look, the clouds are chasing the moon trying to cover it before it reaches the stars.” Callie looked up, tears turned to giggles. “Quick mom, let’s catch the moon before the clouds do and we get all wet.” The wind picked up with our pace and I could sense the rain was only moments away. Taking her lead and with Gracie, aka “Cracie,” we ran.

“I can still see the moon hurry up mom,” she said as the first few drops patted our faces. We raced and raced to the dog’s delight. The end of the path was near, three blocks to go. Callie rounded the corner and shouted: “Catch the moon, Mom. Catch the moon.” As I rounded the corner I could see Callie leaping through the air to catch the moon illuminating from the small cracks left in the clouds.

And then the rain came down like the roar of an audience begging for an encore. Callie stopped at the red light and belted out to the cars with their wipers now swishing swiftly: “The sun will come out tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there’ll be sun.” I caught up to her and smiled at the passersby not knowing if they were in awe of my little outdoor adventurer or Gracie now hopping like a pogo stick while barking at their wipers. Either way, we skipped the rest of the way home belting out the theme song from Annie while the rain showered down on us and the moon peaked out from behind the curtain of clouds.