Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy Story Time

I have been trying to make it out to Hardberger Park for a month now. I spent the first half of September napping in bed and, when awake, downing half a gallon of an orange juice and garlic-infused honey concoction that was supposed to cure my cold. Or it might have been Covid. But I didn't take the test until what felt like the end of it, so it came out negative. It was a tiring start to our home school year, so it's taken me a bit to feel completely ready for our new routine. After recovering, I focused on setting our home up for success and kept it minimal with just a weekly library trip. We're ready for more things now, so today was our first trip to the park for story time.

We gathered under the trees in a sprawling half circle. At the center, a table held gourds, art supplies, and two terrariums, which housed a fuzzy brown tarantula and a family of birds. October's theme was bats, so we sang bat songs. The kids wiggled and crowded around the bat books, and baby siblings clambered over tree stumps and logs outside the group. A few were dressed in their Halloween costumes. Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, a Crocodile—I never spotted Captain Hook.

I stayed in the back most of the time, juggling between holding Völund, reminding Mai Rose to sit down, and singing the songs. One thing I've noticed from my many storytime groups and other children's events are the parents. It seems like they are children themselves again, some showing up with confidence and encouragement for their kids, others reserved and calm, and others awkward and hopeful. Each parent casts their shadow over their children, which isn't to say its a bad thing since the sun can get pretty hot, but its an interesting picture to see unfolding in front of you. Today most parents kept to themselves, sharing the space but not really sharing the experience. Everyone was friendly, of course, but I think you may know the feeling I'm describing.

After the stories and songs, there was a simple coloring activity. I think the outdoor setting made it exciting. Everyone seemed content with their projects even though the playground was waiting for them just across the sidewalk. We made it over there soon enough, however, and stayed nearly an hour.

My kids loved this new playground. There were some unique features that I'd never seen before; the hills were a huge hit! At the back, towards the fence, it slopes steeply. Völund loved climbing and scooting down the different sides. He gasped out a screeching sort of laugh while speeding up on all fours as fast as possible. On the way down, a gurgling laugh squeezed out between his grinning, slobbery lips.

Mai Rose ran all over the place making friends as her 4-year-old alter ego, Puppy Mai. That may be a melodramatic way of putting it, but she loves playing pretend, especially as a puppy. I think it's adorable and completely relatable because I, too, was once a puppy!

I kept back and watched them play with an occasional intervention between Völund's face and the ground. I didn't catch all of them though so he had a couple of faceplants into the rubber. Soon another girl joined Mai as a cat. At the spinning bucket, her mom reminded her, "Did you ask her if she wanted to spin? Some kids don't want to spin." Another mom made smiling faces at her newborn and nodded gratefully towards me as I helped her toddler son navigate the hills with Völund. The bottom of the slide is where a mom tried to strike up a conversation. She held her hand at the small of her back and somewhat breathlessly commented on how fast kids are, and even two keep her busy but three make her slow. She rubbed her belly affectionately. For some reason today I mostly replied with a polite laugh and somewhat dull agreement. That had been me before, pregnant and eager and tired. I wasn't in a bad mood, but I wasn't feeling extroverted. I sometimes wonder what private category some other mom may have me pegged for or if anyone besides myself is thinking that much into these children's groups. I think we all have been different parents at different times.

Lately, I have been feeling at my limit with friends. I'm not sure if its unique to being a military spouse or if other women experience it as well. I am happy and feel content in my community, but we do move approximately every three years. I don't think I can continue to make deep connections with every move over the course of my husband's 20 year career. The kids, though, need friends, so we go out and they play, and we meet a few special people every once in a while.

The kids ate their lunch in pieces. I sat near some shrubbery and called them back for bites. Mai tried to take her cheese to the top of the hill, and between the peanut butter and the jelly stuck on his hands, Völund ate at least one handful of dirt.

We'll be back to Hardberger Park next Thursday with a new family we met last week at church. They just happen to be our neighbors here on the military installation! We have other homeschool field trips planned together and occasional dog walks at night after the kids go to bed. I guess making friends as an adult isn't very different from Mai Rose Puppy and the Playground Cat. I may be friended out, but we're both in the same place at the same time, and there is something to be done. Maybe that's all that's needed sometimes. Mai Rose never tires of meeting new people.