Bumper Cars

This evening, the family opted to attend a nearby carnival. It was one of those church fundraisers with booths for food and games in addition to rides and music. The rides were absolutely a hit for both kids. Of the two rides that Dagny was able to board, she screamed through the first one. It was all I could do to prevent her from leaping to the ground while holding onto our little car to limit our spinning in circles. Meanwhile, Valerie giggled and shrieked in pure enjoyment. However, at the end of the ride, I asked Dagny if she liked the ride and she assuredly announced, "Yeah! Again! Again!"

At the end of our short-lived carnival visit (my fault, I lost $10 worth of tickets), Valerie proclaimed her desire to ride the bumper cars. Ken and I agreed to let her try. Secretly, each of us expected our shy eldest child to talk a big game but would fall to pieces when the wish became a reality.

To our surprise, our little pistol marched up the stairs, confidently handed her four tickets to the operator, thoughtfully, yet quickly picked her favorite car, buckled herself up and listened to the instructions. The ride began and she just did it. Right before our eyes, our daughter transformed into this courageous kid! Of course, she spun that machine into a tangled mess several times, but she conducted herself like a perfect champ!



It was a truly proud moment for Ken and me, but more importantly, for Valerie herself!