Emma’s Soup

A couple of summers ago, as is tradition with my family, my Father and Mother rented a lake house for us to vacation at together in Oklahoma. When we were younger, we would vacation during the summers sharing a time of fun and finding new adventures that would build memories to last a lifetime. These trips always fill our conversations once summer begins to roll around and we reminisce of the years past. My sister and I recall how my younger brother screamed in terror, “RANTULA, RANTULA!!!” as he mistook a daddy long-leg spider for a fierce predatory tarantula at the age of three. We traveled to Arkansas, and had a blast riding the ‘Duck Boats’, big mobile boats that traveled through the city on massive wheels and magically immersed itself in the water to drive across endless lakes at the driver’s command. We also climbed Mt. Baldy together at the Glorietta Pass in Glorietta, New Mexico one summer. As a family, we always delighted in these trips and times spent together.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a popular Walt Disney film, was a favorite of my youngest daughter at the time of our Oklahoma trip. She would watch that movie over and over again, singing and dancing all day, every day for a while when she was two. Many times I would hear the music in my sleep as I dreamt because it was on daily at the house. She sure loved that movie. And still does today.

As a family we are an inventive bunch. We created an extreme water sport at the lake house tossing wet balls at one another over rooftops and from varying stories of the home, avoiding swimming pool hazards. We broke many records with my Father on the porch of the upper deck, throwing the ball blindly to my unseen brother-in-law on the far side of the house, and he in turn lobbed the ball over the corner of the house to me, who then fired the ball to my brother standing poolside across the porch and then threw upstairs to Dad who started it all over. The fun came when a switch was called and the lower athletes had to change positions while the ball was still in flight. Slips, falls, bruises, and big splashes accompanied the game. More fun was never had.

As the boys enjoyed the action packed game, my Mother would prepare a special time with the grandchildren. She brought out tea and cookies on age appropriate china for a time of sharing and fun with five of her favorite grand kiddos. We played board games in the evenings, ate pies together, listened to music, feasted on fantastic meals, and spent time relaxing at the warranted slower pace. At the conclusion of the week, it was time to draw the vacation to a close. We had a wonderful time and began to head our separate ways back home across Texas.

After leaving the lake house on our way out of town, we went to eat with Mom and Dad at a Mexican restaurant. We looked at the unfamiliar menu and decided on items to try that sounded good. My wife and I certainly decided on fajitas or enchiladas and asked our children what they desired. Our oldest daughter wanted chicken-strips. Imagine that, we come to a unique place we’ve never been before and instead of ordering a new dish she orders chicken-strips. You’ve got to love children for their unpredictability.

Our three-month old son had his bottle. Nana, my Mom with her new title, asked our middle daughter what she wanted to eat. She replied, “Soup. I want Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soup.” We laughed for a moment and tried explaining to her that this new restaurant did not have that on the menu. But she insisted. Trying to dissuade a two year old from something in a public place when her mind is made up, makes for a possible emotional melt down. We then looked at the soups to reexamine the flavors. Nana asked her again, still trying to decide what she was actually hungry for, “Emma, what kind of soup? What do you want? Can you tell me what it tastes like sweetie?” Emma had gotten a bit frustrated and said, “Nana, it just tastes CHITTY!” After we finally stopped laughing aloud we ordered her food and enjoyed the remainder of the meal and time spent in fellowship. Another great memory of our time together as a family.