Motherhood isn't (always) for the birds. Sometimes it's for the sharks and the dolphins and the clown fish.

I took my daughters to an aquarium today. It was an unusually warm winters morning and the sunshine made the beach all the more appealing. Hats and sunscreen and off we go! Okay, it's over an hours' worth of a drive and its a damn expensive entry fee but it was so incredibly worth it. 

My youngest, who I honestly assumed would sleep through the entire experience, had eyes like saucers for the entire visit. Every little fish or bubble caught her eye. Her sister was shrieking with joy and enjoying the frightening, yet awesome underwater world unfolding around each corner. When a particularly scary shark with a wide open jaw swam past her, showing off rows of sharp teeth, I explained that the shark was tired and was yawning at us. When hundreds of colorful fish swam round and round a cylindrical tank, I shared that they were all part of the same family. 

My mother was along with us, which made the excursion more manageable. But at a point I stopped and watched the awesome experience we had created. A special day, filled with memories and magical moments. Life should be made of these moments. There are actually too few of them in our day to day existence. I think we all need to stop and reflect from time to time, on just how abundantly we are blessed. 

It was a morning of excitement and pleasures and frights. My six month old seemed to gain as much from the beauty as my sixty two year old mom did. We bonded and shared and taught and learnt. And at the end of the day we went home safely and in to warm baths then bed. We were (are) blessed with another exceptional day. One that cost a little financially and a was a little taxing emotionally, when you consider the planning and stress of traveling with young kids. Yet, I would do it again tomorrow. The moments that are caught in time, which will be forever etched on all our hearts, are priceless. These moments are gifts we shouldn't forget to make time for.