Did My Daughter Have a Date?

Yesterday, Caelyn, Caleb and I travelled into Manhattan with friends and it has me wondering, did my daughter have a date?

Kid's rocker Aurdrarox was playing a show in Madison Square Park yesterday morning.  Based in Brooklyn, she plays regularly in the area and is one of Caelyn and Caleb's favorites. When discussing our plans with a friend whose son Aiden is Caelyn's age and whose daughter Kiera is just a little older than Caleb, the conversation turned to seeing if they wanted to go with us.  Fortunately, they did.

Caelyn and Aiden have and interesting relationship. Basically, they adore each other.  They have been taking Taekwon-do together for close to a year and their favorite classes are the ones where the other is there with them.

Due to school schedules, though, the first time they have been around each other outside the dojang was yesterday.  This did not stop Aiden however from declaring that he was going to marry Caelyn in 25 years or Caelyn from saying she agreed to the proposal.

Aiden's mom Lazette and I put together the details.  We would load all four kids into our van, travel into Manhattan for Audrarox's show, then hit a playground and eat nearby.

With this plan in place, I started to get nervous when Caelyn's high fever early in the week stubbornly persisted.  By Wednesday, it was still present but lower than before.  I contacted Lazette to she if she wanted to change the plan but we both agreed, unless there was a serious downturn, we were going ahead.

While I was not there to see it, I understand Aiden did a dance on the porch when given the news about Thursday's plans.  When Caelyn and Aiden saw each other later that Wednesday at the dojang, Aiden was beside himself, talking quickly and loudly about the next days trip into the city.

As Caelyn had yet not been told about it, she looked a little confused.  It just didn't click for her that Aiden was discussing plans he had with her.  When I told her later on about the plan, she stared at me in disbelief.  Then she smiled.  It wasn't just her mouth that smiled, but her whole body.  Then the bouncing started.

Yesterday morning, Aiden was waiting on the front porch when I pulled into the driveway.  We had an uneventful trip in but it was loud, very loud.  Caelyn and Aiden were sitting together in the back of the van trying to see who could talk the loudest and the fastest.  At least, that is what it seemed like to me up front.

Meanwhile,  Caleb and Kiera were the calm ones.  Caleb bounced happily to the music while Kiera colored in her coloring book.  Lazette and I just talked and laughed at the noise coming from the back as we made our way through the last of the morning rush.

Fortunately, the church we attend in Manhattan is near Madison Square Park so I was able to get street parking in the restricted area in front of it.  We made it to the stage about 5 minutes before the show began.

Caelyn, Caleb and Aiden made their way to the front where they watched and danced.  Sometimes they danced alone, sometimes Caelyn and Aiden danced together and sometimes they just watched while holding hands.

After Audrarox finished her set, it was playground time. The playground there in the park was a madhouse.  Tons of kids, running, screaming and playing.  They had a blast.

When it was time for lunch, Kerry was able to sneak out of her office for a bit to join us.

After I told Lazette Kerry would be joining us, she responded, "Good. Another set of hands."  And boy did we need them.  None of the children acted badly in the restaurant but there were four of them. Two are five, one is three and the other is two so you can imagine how that went.

After our escape from the restaurant, Kerry went back to work and Lazette and I walked the kids to Union Square for playground number two.

Finally, the kids were done.  They had nothing left in the tank so it was back to the van for the drive home.  The ride back was much quieter.  All four children fell asleep.  It was a sure sign of a day well spent.

After goodbyes were said and I was driving home, I wondered to myself, "Did I my daughter just have a date?"

After all, they saw a show, went out to eat and walked through the city hand in hand at times.  It certainly sounds like a date.  And they do plan to be married.

 I guess we will just have to see what time brings but I know this, if they do end up getting married in 25 years, I will be reading this at their reception.