A drum. My friend who has kids about Kailin's age took her daughters to Kohl's and asked them to pick out gifts for their dad. One chose a wallet and the other chose a tie. I felt bad that I hadn't taken Kailin shopping for Steve. So I took her to the store and asked her what she wanted to get him. She brightened and said, "I know! He will have a DRUM for Christmas!" A drum.
We already have two toy drums, so I thought I'd have her pick out a Christmas decoration of some sort - then it doesn't have to be around all the time and you know, pa rum pum pum. Not so much. Kohl's, Target, Walmart... NO ONE had a drum of any kind. And we didn't limit ourselves to ornaments - we looked in the light ups, the other decorations... EVERYWHERE!!! No luck. Christmas was fast approaching so we headed out (in a snowstorm) to the local garden store. They always have a healthy selection of Christmas decorations. We pulled in and Kailin could see inside. She said, "MOM! It's Christmas in there!!!" I laughed. It was indeed Christmas in there.
I couldn't wait to show her the "tree room". It was an annual event for me when I was a kid - this store has a back room filled with artificial trees of all shapes and sizes, decorated in every way imaginable - and very awe inspiring to a kid, I might add. The purpose of my childhood visits was always to see the "fruit loop tree". There was always one tree (and only one) festooned in a garland of fake candies - among them lifesavers, which to me appeared to be fruit loops. We intended this pilgrimage to be a family affair, but with the holiday season so short this year and so many other things to fit in, Steve working, early bedtimes for the kids... that, along with visiting Santa, just didn't ever make it to the top of the list. Had it not been for the drum quest, none of us would've seen the tree room this year. But before we could hit the tree room, we had to exhaust the store for a drum...
They had two drum ornaments. The same ornament - one red, and one green, both with tiny mirrors and gold beads. I initially spotted them but passed them by hoping for a better option. Nope. None. They were the last two remaining drums of any shape or form in the store. (I even searched the trees in the tree room for drum ornaments with all intentions of pleading with anyone who would listen to me that we NEEDED to shop from the tree despite the signs vehemently insisting that we not do so...no need to plan that argument out!) We bought the green one. Kailin reminded me at the register that it is a secret. I laughed. She had told Steve no less than 12 times already that "you will have a drum for Christmas!!" Thankfully, and truthfully, he never heard her. I think God was smiling on us just then - maybe on me for my dedicated efforts to find the drum or maybe on Kailin for being so excited about giving to others. I was thankful in any case that the drum did indeed remain a secret right up until Steve opened it on Christmas morning.
Oh - and the tree room? It held a different draw for Kailin. She deemed it a rainforest and then asked where we were. She was hesitant to believe that we were still in the store both there and in the silk florals aisle we happened down on our way to the register. "Where are we NOW, Mama?" "The store. We're still in the store, honey." "Noooo.... this is not a store!" Now if THAT isn't awe and wonder, I don't know what is...
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