Wednesday I was able to drop the terrible twosome off with Melodie at the house before walking to Chloe's school and picking her up from After School Club. Holding her hand in the bright mid afternoon I was able to listen to her chipmunk chatter about school that day and her hopes for her birthday party.
Thursday morning, 6 a.m. as I sat at the table trying to shovel in my breakfast - an event that happens more often than not on my drive or while I am at work, Zachary climbed up into my lap, warm and fresh from sleeping, then proceeded to gobble my bite off my spoon. Sophie soon followed, and the two of them alternated eating my cereal until they had consumed the entire bowl. I am sure I could have poured them their own bowls, and they may have even had time to eat them, but I enjoyed the few moments in the dark snuggling them and sharing with them.
These moments are the stolen ones. The breaks in the busy insanity of working 40 hours a week and raising four kids that cause a moment of wonder and pause. A reminder of that it is not all about getting the bills paid, making sure there is clean laundry, cooked meals, and appropriate experiences for educational enrichment. Sometimes it is just about the experiences. I don't know many people who in sharing fond memories of their childhood expound upon the cleanliness of the baseboards, window sills, and stove tops. They remember the silly things like sock fights and blowing bubbles in the house, or dancing in the rain. They remember snuggly things like hot cocoa and patchwork quilts. They remember colors and feelings. I remember walking to and from school with my mother and that she wore a red coat. Now, I long for a red coat of my own.
If I'm ever blessed with children I imagine I'll need reminders like this. Thanks for posting your preemptive advice.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a sweet little post. It was very fitting for me to read. I just visited with a friend I had in high school. She has cancer and the doctors have given her a month to live. As I sat there wondering what I would do if I only had a month to live, the same type of thoughts came to me that you have just shared here. I thought that my life has become too busy and that I don't take the time to enjoy those little stolen moments that you just mentioned. I've decided that even though I can't just ignore all the stupid things that have to get done (house work, church assignments, etc) I can prioritize better and try to put my family first so I can hopefully appreciate more of those stolen moments. Thanks for this chance to help me reflect even more upon this important subject. After all, these are the experiences that I think we are here on earth for in the first place.
ReplyDeleteLove it!
ReplyDelete