Our hot date!

So when you have two small children, there are not many Saturday nights spent away from home, taking your time, just enjoying each other's company. That's what we had last night, Kade and I. Dan had to get ready for a photoshoot today so he volunteered to stay home with Avram.

I took Kade down to campus, to hear a night of American Indian storytellers at the Wisconsin Union Theater. It is an annual event, hosted by the American Indian Studies program which is very strong at UW. In fact, the ability to attend cultural events like this is one of the big reasons we live here. Having my son identify himself as a Native person is extremely important to me, even if he is actually a big mix of races. So I had told Kade that we were going to go all by ourselves. He thought that was really cool. He told Dan he had to stay home because he was not an Indian. :)

On the drive there, Kade not used to being in the car alone with Mom, talked all the way there of course. He made a lot of interesting observations and as usual, wandered from one unrelated topic to another than found some odd way of connecting them. Like when he asked if Indian people ate Italian food? When told, yes, and they also eat Indian food he asked if bald people eat baldian food. What a nut! We reviewed the usual questions, like what tribe he is and what clan he is and why we are going to hear stories and why stories are only told in the winter.

We arrived and parked in the garage. Walking toward the Union on the theater side, the night air was rhythmically shook by the distant, deep bass of the drum. As we jumped up the slushy curb, we stopped to let Kade absorb the drumbeat before proceding inside. We sat frozen for just a moment, feet on the icy pavement, straining our ears but feeling the drum where it actually hits you, somewhere between your heart and stomach.

In the theater we found a seat toward the back and listened to storytellers from around the US. All were elders and told their stories in their Native tongue with translation. It was really cool. We did not stay for the last speaker, instead sneaking out to take a little walk around the union, hand in hand. We made our way downstairs to the main level, and I bought us some icecream. Kade picked his by the shade, of course. I was suprised to find out that he actually likes pistachio ice cream. We took our ice cream back upstairs, climbing the old marble steps, up away from the noisy clammer of college students and the live band playing in the rathskeller. We found some cozy chairs in one of the old, grand halls. It was relatively empty except for a few studiers. As we sat, we recalled the stories and talked about UW. I told him that I used to study in the very room we were sitting, which made him laugh. He asked if I could sign him up. I told him that he would have to go to kindergarden first.

With the last of the ice cream gone, we strolled back to the car. On the drive home we told each other how much we loved each other and what fun we had on our "hot date." I really relish times like this. Childhood is so, so fleeting and never again will he love me so outwardly as he does now. We have made some financially difficult decisions to stay home with our kids as much as we do but the rewards are immense! I can only hope to establish children with a strong foundation of love and security on which to become strong, successful adults.

After tucking him in bed, I laid with him, telling stories of our own and for once, I actually fell asleep right there in his little twin bed with him. On waking a couple hours later, I kissed his forehead and went off to my own bed. What a lovely night!