We decided to visit the Albuquerque Aquarium on Saturday while we were there for my husband’s retreat. We had originally planned to walk through Old Town, but the weather was a bit too cold for everyone’s comfort…we actually saw snow flurries and weren’t prepared to walk around in that kind of cold.
The aquarium seemed like a great alternative!
Jenny is especially enthralled by watching fish swim in the huge tanks.
Will was not such a fan.
The sting rays were a bit too much for him. They were in an open air tank and he became frightened of their large, flat bodies.
There was a long dark-ish tunnel with designs right below the ceiling made to look like you were walking underwater right after the sting-ray exhibit.
Will became even more frightened and refused to walk through this tunnel.
He began to cry that he wanted to go home.
In all of my parenting knowledge, I had no idea what to do. I knew he was truly scared, but at the same time everyone else was having a good time and wanted to continue.
My husband told me to go on with the girls and he stayed behind to have a talk with Will.
After a short while, Jenny became a little hurricane running through the aquarium at lightening-fast speed. I was doing my best to keep up with her and my other two girls.
Before I knew it we were headed out the exit doors and met my husband and Will there.
It seemed as if there was nothing left to do except to leave.
I was disappointed.
Angry.
Frustrated.
And discouraged.
I felt as if there were something wrong with my family. “Why can we not enjoy a nice day out?” I asked myself.
“What is wrong with us?”
After a stop at Walgreens to pick up pull-ups for Jenny, my husband suggested that we try again.
He talked to Will about how he needed to trust us to take care of him. We told him to hold our hands and we would talk him through the tunnel…he just needed to trust us.
So we went back to the aquarium where they thankfully allowed us to go back through with the tickets that were purchased less than an hour before.
We breezed past the exhibits we already saw, making sure to bypass the sting rays.
Will held onto his Daddy’s strong hands as we walked through that scary tunnel and came through the other side to find a huge tank full of fish and creatures found in the coral reef. Many of these fish from the beloved movie, Finding Nemo.
He was excited to point out the fish that he recognized.
I was relieved to see my little boy enjoying himself after such a stressful time.
We were able to enjoy the rest of the aquarium and even went to the gardens as well.
I feel such a passion and a burden to care for these little ones that God has so abundantly blessed me with.
But at the same time I feel to inadequate to be what they need.
I was ready to give up and throw in the towel on a fun day on Saturday.
I am so thankful that we didn’t…with my husband’s encouragement, we experienced a second chance.
My little boy was given a second chance to trust and to experience the fun we had planned for him.
So often I fail as a friend, as a mother, as a wife, as a believer.
I try so hard, but I am often overcome with fear and I want to give up on myself.
I am so thankful that God never gives up on me. Time and time again He gently reminds me to trust Him and He offers second chances. He also offers third, fourth, and fifteen-millionth chances.
When I learn to trust Him to take care of all of my needs, to take care of my doubts, fears, worries and anxieties, I am able to experience such abundant life.
I am able to enjoy the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family.
I am so incredibly thankful for the faith lesson that I learned through our outing to the aquarium.
Through my little boy learning to trust my husband and I to take care of him I was reminded once again of my own need to trust my Heavenly Father to take care of all of my needs.