During the witching hour of my home, my brain and my “calmly breathe and be grateful” strategies the other day, the noise became all too much. The kids, the chaos, the roofers pounding nails above us, the trucks in our driveway, the alarms in my head that pointed out messes and things I had to do, the voice of “pick up your shoes” and “put your lunch box away” that came out far more naggy than I intended, the phone that rang, the cries for more juice and go outside and mom, watch! watch this!. It was loud and chaotic, and in an attempt to quiet and calm, I piled everyone in the van and headed to the pool. Floats and pool toys blocked my mirror view on the short drive, and we turned around not once but twice to retrieve forgotten goggles and juice boxes. I clutched my poetry book–Soul Food–in my hand as I unloaded kids and dragged foam noodles across the parking lot to the pool where I’d soon sit on the step and watch happy splashers while Mary Oliver whispered me back into calm.
The water was warm and inviting, the pool patio almost vacant except for an older gentleman who looked up from his book only for a moment to confirm that we too wanted peace and that none of my kids looked like the cannonball type. Give Dash six more months.
Gracefully and barely disturbing the surface of the water, Lainey filled her lungs and slipped into the shallow end mermaid-style, a blur of blond hair and long legs disappearing underneath the water until she reemerged in the deep end moments later.
Down two steps went Nella–bravely venturing to the bottom stair, neck-deep, while she clung to the railing, and then back up to the top where she smiled proudly and turned around to do it again. Dash joined her, the two of them conversing through laughter and their shared accomplishment. Finally, quiet.
And then the pool gate opened and a trail of giggling children of all sizes–one, two, three, four, five of them–came skipping through, their mom trailing behind them hollering reminders not to jump. My kids all turned to look, paralyzed in amusement and intimidated by how many of them there were. The older gentleman in the lounge chair looked up from his book again. Cannonball type? Perhaps.
They didn’t cannonball into the water; they threw themselves into it–arms out, chests raised, squeals of laughter accompanying their splashes. There was nothing hesitant about any of it; rather enthusiastic, joyous, whole-hearted.
“We just got here,” their mom explained apologetically. “I flew alone with them, We came from the cold this morning, so we’re very happy to be here.”
“No worries, you’re fine,” I smiled. (“Speak for yourself,” thought the old man with the book.) “They all yours?”
“These three are,” she pointed to the older ones laughing in the deep end. “And these two–” she motioned toward two little blond girls on the steps of the shallow end. “These are my foster babies. They just returned to us two weeks ago.”
For the next forty-five minutes, I watched as this beautiful mother–certainly tired from her travels and worn out from the noise of five children and all that led her on this journey to this place–volleyed her attention between each child who called for her, needed her, wanted her to mom watch! watch this!. How patient and loving and all-embracing she was. Her smile never broke.
Between splashes and jumps, her older children swam to the little girls on the steps, picked them up, guided them through the shallow end, hugged them and praised them for their bravery. Love, security, belonging–it was palpable.
I never had a chance to open my poetry book. But there, in the loud and perfect chaos of eight kids in a pool, three different family stories and the shared experience of finding solace from the noisy parts of life under sunshine, with each other…I found my peace and quiet. I had my Soul Food.
Happy Friday.
More soul food from last night:
Hold up! Beautiful post, but I keep thinking, “Is there a public pool in Naples!??!!?” That’s the one piece of our trip that’s always missing (and paying for the waterpark in case of storm can be frustrating with their yucky refund policy!)
That was beautiful! Thank you, Kelle! Your words are so often MY soul food.
<3 Shannon
What happened to your home pool? That was my first thought reading you had to take the van to the pool. I had visions of you driving around the block only to return to your driveway to unload everyone to go swimming!!
this is just beautiful. sometimes we think we know exactly what we need for our souls. and then we find out that it isn’t what we’d planned. (:
Sarah xo
This just made my day. Pretty post.
So perfectly illustrated I can so relate to the surely albino looking mom with 5 overzealous kids ready to jump in, and how fortunate for her to have your patient, kind face to greet them.
Hi Kelly,
I love the beach pictures! Especially because when I look out my window, I see mounds of snow!
I have just read a book which you, and Dash, will love. Three Bears in a Boat, by David Soman.
Enjoy!
I just love your posts! Just thinking of swimming in February outside makes me happy! I am stuck up here in the north, and its been a especially brutal January and February! Please keep the beach pictures coming!
LUSH. This made my heart smile. Bless you, J9 x
Life’s a beach for sure!
What a beautiful moment you’ve captured! Also, your photos from the beach are making this girl, buried in snow in the northeast, yearn for summer!
@Argyrie Ha–yes, we do have a pool, but this time of year but our heater needs to be fixed and the water’s too cold right now to swim without it heated. The pool we use is in our neighborhood. Most neighborhoods in Naples have a central pool for the community. So it was kind of like driving around the block. ;o)
@Megan Landmeir
Most subdivisions here have community pools for residents, but you’re right–the water park is probably the best pool if you’re staying where there isn’t a pool.
@Margaret Kirkpatrick–
Okay, I’ll have to order it! You’re the second person who told me about it, and it’s been sitting on my want list on Amazon. Thank you!
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I swear, I’m addicted to your posts! Always so uplifting, refreshing and inspirational. And just look how dark Nella’s hair looks, all of a sudden!
I totally agree that Dash has lots of cannonballs in his future. š
This was so beautifully written. Your writing on here and picture on instagram are my soul foods.
Beautiful Kelle. I’m having a ‘bump in the road’ when it comes to remaining calm with three kids these days. I’m normally much better at keeping calm and breathing through it. It’s so lovely to see hear that this happens to everyone, especially one as centred as you! Now to work on getting a community pool in cold damp Southern Ireland…hmm, maybe not!
You’re…such a lovely writer,and so very descriptive.
Just booked a week long to trip to Naples for the end of March, and my two can’t wait to get into the pool (we’re from the Northeast and yes, we’re still buried under snow). Pools and water in general do amazing things for everyone’s attitude! Maybe I’ll run into you at Kilwins!
You aren’t the only one who struggles with the noise level of 3 little ones! Thanks for your honesty!
http://shilohsstory.blogspot.com/
I hate to be the preachy one but I’m glad you didn’t open your book while your littlies were in the pool. No matter how confident they are around water, it always makes me so nervous. And I read a post recently about delayed drowning (Googling ‘Harper chook bigman delayed drowning’ should bring it up) that has made me more nervous.
I love seeing good mamas do their thing, it always inspires me to be a better mama.
Oh the thoughts of pools right now are the only thing keeping me going. So. Cold. Here. On the plus side, there are a few sunny days in our forecast and a couple of days in the 30s/40s. Woot woot. Looking forward to our trip to Naples in May, though. Can NOT wait!
Beautiful post! The fact that you are ABLE to swim right now leaves me feeling insanely jealous. I keep telling my husband we’re moving to Florida one day!
This is so beautiful. Just what I needed to read today. Thank you for noticing her and hearing her story.
Kelle.. it might sound cheesy but you always inspire me to be a better mom! And yes… Soul food is often found when we open up our souls!