alight.

\ uh-LAHYT \  , verb; 

1. to settle or stay after descending.
2. to dismount from a horse, descend from a vehicle, etc.
3. to encounter or notice something accidentally.

Today was an amazing day. Everyone met Dwayne and to say they were captivated would be putting it lightly. The three year old quickly forgot that I was the girl whose lap she sat on while we descended the slide the day before. She looked up at Dwayne and said in her darling raspy voice, “You can be my seat!” They’d go down the slide and as she ran back to the stairs she’d ask through her laughter, “Do you want to go two more times?” She’d ask this every time.

All of us would attempt going down the slide at one time. It was hilarious and maybe a little dangerous when bigger people land on top of smaller people. So we alighted at the end. We’d settle, laugh, breathe deep, and then say “YES!” when Davita asked, “Do you want to go two more times?!”

It was a sunshiny Oklahoma day and we spent the afternoon enjoying it. We pretended we were searching for treasure before the bad pirates could get to it. Davita would ask Dwayne before he came up the playground, “Are you a bad pirate?” He said no and she put her hand out to help him up, as if her forty pound self could assist him.

Elise and Joseph had a map drawn out and there was much strategizing. We started collecting acorns from the yard and pretended it was gold. I asked, “What will we buy with all of this gold?” And Elise said quickly but casually, “We’ll give it to people who need it.”

I think I’ll need to alight a bit after this sweet time with them. I’ll need to come down off the high of being surrounded by an enormous amount of love. A long drive to New Mexico seems like a good way to do so.