Lunar Hot Chocolate

We made plans last week to watch the Lunar eclipse and she couldn't wait. She started looking out the window at 8 PM in anticipation of the big event, even though she knew it would be after midnight before we saw anything.
About ten thirty I gathered my camera things and we headed outdoors to watch for a while. I set up my tripod and she got us some chairs and we sat together under the moon. After a few minutes I remembered that I had two hidden packages of hot chocolate in the cabinet, saved for just such an occasion.
We took a break and went inside to make it. I also had a package of andes peppermint candies which are somewhat like chocolate chips, only red and white and minty. She wanted to know if she could add some to her hot chocolate. And why not? I thought to myself. I had been planning on using those for cookies but this was a special occasion. The last time we decided to stay up for a partial eclipse the clouds obscured the moon and she was disappointed. This time the sky was fairly clear and it would be a total lunar eclipse. Plus tonight was the winter solstice, and those two hadn't coincided for almost four hundred years. Yeah, I think she can have peppermints in her hot chocolate tonight.
So she added the peppermints and stirred them up and then showed me the resulting concoction. Her hot chocolate had turned bright red. "Look Mom, lunar eclipse red" she said. We therefore dubbed our hot chocolate Lunar Eclipse hot chocolate. (She didn't let me forget that she was the one who told me the moon would turn red at the apex of the eclipse. She was very proud that she knew something I didn't.)
So we took our lunar hot chocolate outside and sat under the stars and waited. And waited. It got cold as the moon traveled very slowly across the sky. We moved to the back yard for better viewing and she brought us a blanket. We huddled together. She put her head on my shoulder and I put my arm around her shoulders. I fiddled with my camera and my tripod. I couldn't seem to get a very good picture. The sky was beginning to cloud up and we weren't sure we would be able to see it when the moon was eclipsed. I relaxed and she talked to me a little bit. "I love you Mom, I really, really love you" she said. It was a very tender moment. I was so glad we had taken time to sit together and watch the celestial sky tonight.
Tommy came out and watched for a few minutes and then went to bed. Every once in a while one of us would say, "Hey, do you see a shadow...I think I see a shadow...no, I guess not... just my imagination."
We almost went in. The Lunar hot chocolate was long gone. The wind picked up and it got colder still. For a long time nothing seemed to change. Then came the moment, there was a shadow. Then no doubt about it. The moon disappeared little by little. Katie came home and the three of us stood outside and watched as the light disappeared from the sky and the red moon emerged on the shortest day of the year for the first time in almost half a millenia. Totally worth the time even if I didn't get a decent picture. I know the girls will never forget it. The next time there is a total lunar eclipse will be 2014. Katie will be long gone, I'm sure, immersed in her own life. Matt will too, probably. Ally will be sixteen. (gulp!) I hope in a few years she will want to do this again. I'm already looking forward to it.