Day Twenty-Nine: Is There Anyone Out There?

Is there anyone out there whose laundry is over-flowing

Is there marker on the walls that got there 

without you knowing?

Do you make dinners that your children push away

Do you shove stuff in closets 

When company comes to stay?

Is there anyone out there who can't find her keys

Who reminds her child a thousand times 

You must say, "thank you" and "please"?

If anyone is out there who can relate to these few woes

Rest assured you're among many

Moms who aren't always on their toes.

But it doesn't matter, dear Momma, because

Under chaos and frustration

Abides deep love.

Kissing knees and late night talks are worth the moment taken

Because little ones grow up and please

Don't ever be mistaken.

If there is anyone out there who feels overwhelmed today

Let two important goals be her guide:

Hug your babies and pray!

                                                             by: Heather Vanderkruk

 

Baby Of The Family

Girlie-May is what her Daddy adoringly calls her. After those rambunctious twin boys, he's melting more than ever. My sister, Holly, gathers wet clothes, cuts cucumber slices and rocks a whimpering Clara after a tumble. She has this routine down to a science with her little ones and it's inspiring to watch. But this tiny person God gifted to our family... this soft and smiley baby is the one my kiddos are all chattering about as we drive to their home almost an hour away. They stake their claim on who gets to hold her first. They take photos with their iPods and post videos of just them and Clara. She's a small package tied with a pink ribbon after five years without more cousins on my side of the family. She's welcomed with enthusiastic love.

Capturing Little-ness

The tiny egg shaped bulge in his shirt tells me he's up to something. My little boy approaches me slowly, his hands gently rubbing the hidden lump next to his belly.

I tap the object. "What is that? I ask.

He looks up. "It's my egg, Mommy. I'm trying to make it hatch."

He carefully exposes a little of his precious baby from under his shirt and then tucks it back in and continues caressing the cold, hard shell, obviously acquired from the fridge.

"Babe, this egg needs a daddy in order to hatch," I run my fingers through his sandy brown hair and he looks up at me with questioning, hazel eyes.

Then he lights up. "I can be it's daddy!" And he dashes off, baby twisted inside fabric, love warming it.

 

He must have given up because lunch comes and goes and I never see or hear about his tiny adopted one again. I miss my opportunity to teach about fertilization but I chalk up the absence of the egg to more of a lesson in patience, for the moment.

I capture my boy's little-ness with my words, and keep it wrapped in a special spot on this blog. My babies, growing, changing, and learning, are rarely tickling my heart with their naive and hilarious misunderstandings of life these days. Mostly, they are astounding me with their knowledge of the world and their intelligent thoughts. I miss my little ones but I'm finding lovely tidbits of those wise and wonderful big-kid moments to keep tucked away here too. Gifts--all of them.

 

Gratitude:

 

1582. growing, changing and becoming big

1583. innocent, naïve, childish little-ness

1584. beginning gratitude journals with the kids and the stuff they praise for.... wow!

1585. beautiful, glorious, warm sunshine streaming through my window--truly the real first day of spring :)

1586. the return of the robins and how they love to nest under our deck each year

1587. comfort through my Bible reading this morning (furious underlining!)

1588. her playing of "River Flows In You" and how it's becoming fluent

1589. new friends (can we still be making them at this age? yes!)

1590. dear, old friend (and her little girl) --how her return has graced my life

1591. neat and messy hair buns, braided, twisted or wrapped--thankful for girls!

1592. the way she picked up lyrical dance this year and how her solo nearly brought me to tears

Celebrating One Little Year

Ashanti (daughter of our "adopted" Valerie) turned one the same week our Oma turned one hundred. A life lived to the fullest and a life yet to be lived. Ashanti's beginning was blessed when her momma dedicated her to the Lord and promised to raise her in the knowledge of His great love and purpose for her. We were all wrapped around, nodding in agreement. Now, this little one, full of laughter and energy, delights us even more. God bless you on your first birthday, Ashanti! We love you!

 

Epic Summer--A Journey Through Pictures And Gratitude

Sooooo grateful...

1371. that sometimes pirates masquerade as little boys at soccer games. 

1372. How Spiderman somehow became a hero this year. He's never watched the show but he wants to act like him everyday. (Our church festival)

 

1373. for all the bouncy castles and super-fantastic activities that drew the surrounding neighbourhoods to our church festival.

1374. How Lilly and Meg--friends since birth--helped at the craft table. 

1375. How Joan and her two sisters and so much like my two sisters and me.

1376. for spunky Benjamite :) 

1377. for outdoor movies and lawn chairs, blankets and treats--love it! 

1378. how they all love on Baby Clara 

1379. her quirkiness and how she loves to be different

1380. how tree climbing was the number one sport this summer. 

1381. how these two (Meg and Hannah) remained friends after the closing of their dance studio and helped the kids at the festival. 

1382. that my cool sister and her awesome husband made the hour-long trip. 

1383. for little sisters of bigger sisters who like each other too (Holly and Molly). 

1384. how Spiderman made a guest appearance and Terry got to have his photo taken with him (doesn't my husband look so happy? He's star-struck). 

1385. my dear friend, Bethany and how she gives of herself to others.

1386. that I found this cute little bunny while I wandered around

1387.and how she multiplied quickly :)

1388. for years-long friendships and our journey together through thick and thin.

 

1389. for these two amazing families in our church

 

1390. for our yearly point-and-shoot-each-other moment (hi Kelly!)

1391. for quiet, summer nights of flying his new plane. 

1392. for great times in Mama and Papa's hot tub--heat turned down so it could double as a swimming pool.

1393. how the determination of Papa and the stupidity of me, helped get those 300 lb. walls up around it (after which, one fell on us and I had a lovely bruised shoulder for weeks--gratitude because I truly felt helpful :). 

1394. how they don't care that there's barely any space to move, they just have fun all squashed in there.  

1395. how Papa just sat there and blasted them with cold water while they screamed! 

1396. how they screamed for more! 

1397. the love of sisters (generally after some major arguing). 

 1398. for babies and how they keep finding me :)

 1399. for my crazy sister and her need for thrills.

1400. how she said her biggest concern was that the photographer who took these pics was plummeting to her death as she didn't open her chute for a long time. 

1401. how she got to experience floating over Niagara Falls. 

1402. that she said it was fun but not scary (THIS type of quality does NOT run in the family). 

1403. how my sweet nephew hung his head out of his bedroom window to say goodbye to us the other day.

1404. sunsets and sillohettes 

1405. for scooters that everyone can share 

1406. for pogo-stick jumpers counting in the hundreds

1407. for driveway soccer