lights will guide you home

Is today day two of being stuck at home while Ethan battles it out over a pesky ear infection? Day three? I can't keep anything straight. My eyes are crossing. I've come to the conclusion that stopping a charging rhino with one hand is easier than aspirating the nose of a rambunctious toddler tired of being cooped up in the house for...how many days? Two? Three?

As soon as the sun began going down, Ethan and I set off in search of Christmas lights. I was driving home from Target a few days ago when a house in a neighborhood near ours caught my eye. I kept the house in mind while planning our quest for finding lights and it paid off. The house was incredible. Ethan and I spent forty five minutes watching the display, listening to the music, playing in the bubbles being blown from the top of the garage door.

It was easy to forget everything else that had been going on as we were standing there under the canopy of lights over the driveway. Ethan grabbed onto my hand and motioned me towards the light-up trains. We were surrounded by magic then, all around, but nothing compared to the look in his eyes. I lost myself in his whimsical, curious expression. That look, that stare of soaking it all in, that was magic.

Under the lights, there were no ear infections. No pain and discomfort and sinus pressure. No pangs of stir-craziness or tears or boredom. Nothing but music and lights and a winter wonderland smack dab in the middle of the suburbs, masking the 85 degree weather with it's magic.