getting serious about taxes

The caption on the back of this photo is "Dad and Bri 'getting serious about taxes'."

The other day as I was reading and spending some time being quiet, my eyes wandered up to this picture. It's been on my bulletin board since my mom found it a few months ago. and there it was, just staring at me. This photo always makes me smile because it's a visual reminder of the playfulness and joy I had as a child and, at times, wish I still had. This time, however, something else caught my eye. I saw my father....He had obviously been "interrupted" while doing his taxes and invited to wear a clown wig and some crazy sunglasses. He could have told me that it wasn't the right time, or that he would play with me when he was done. Instead, he stopped doing the "important" thing to attend to an even more important thing--being present.

Beckham is only 6 months old, but I can already tell that sometimes I am more focused on checking off my list than being present and engaged with him. In the moment, the cleanliness of the house, the errand I need to run, the facebook message I need to send, or the couch I am looking for on craigs list seem important. But in the grand scheme of things, they aren't. The errand will be run, the house will get dirty again, and eventually we will get a couch. Beckham will not always be 6 months old. I want to be a parent who stops doing the taxes to put on a clown wig just so my child will smile, and feel like they matter....more than taxes. more than the computer. more than my to-do list.