this moment {homework}

Linking with SouleMamma and many others:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

My you find patience and understanding in all you do!  Happy weekending!

a new dawn

Today marks a milestone for our family.  Pie has officially been registered for Kindergarten and this signifies a new era for us.  All three children in school, majorly reduced daycare bills, and more independent children.

I'm sure you can imagine the bittersweet wrapped in this moment.  I look on at my daughter as she confidently takes the hand of a stranger, a woman she will know as teacher.  I sense pride welling up inside me knowing she is bright and will do well on their assessments. I know, too, that she is socially oh. so. ready. to learn and play with her school-aged peers.

But I look on with a flicker of sadness, too.  She's growing so fast and I do so love this age.  I love the quickly expanding and curious minds of toddlers and preschoolers.  I so love the silly things they say and the sparkle in their eyes at simple discoveries.  I will miss these years.  I will miss my babies.



























Each age and stage has been met with delight.  Oh, there are challenges in all this growing to be sure.  Mostly my inability to step back and see the wisdom my children have already brought with them.  Despite the challenges, it is the beauty and warmth and snuggles and laughter that I remember most.  I'm thankful for this selective memory.

Today, I'm allowing myself to sit in this moment.  To feel the twinge of pain in my chest as I realize what is gone.  Just the same, I will wake tomorrow and allow myself to feel the anticipation and excitement that the future holds.  And I'm giving thanks for the past we've shared and the future we await and the present we hold for they are all so dear to me.

learning to celebrate

To be honest, I'm not much of a Valentine's Day fan.  My husband and I have never celebrated it, both agreeing that it is a commercial holiday without which we'd both still know fully that we love one another.  So there!

As with most lessons in life, however, our children have taught us a bit about savoring this celebration.  Each of them shared something of themselves this year that made this holiday meaningful.  Their contributions were as unique as their personalities and offered "straight from the heart."  As cliche as this may sound, I see it this way as if for the first time.

Mr. Man offered his humor and love for writing.  He and a friend have been working on a comic series featuring their hero: Super Volt.  Super Volt is certainly a hero, but quite a funny guy as well.  So, I encouraged them to draw pieces for a Valentine's Day card which I scanned and turned into greeting cards.  They had so much fun, as did both mothers supporting this endeavor.  Super Volt found his way onto the party bag as well.  

 

 Pie delighted in simply being able to use letters to express herself.  No fancy drawings, no glitz or glamour.  Just the few letters of her name accompanied by the meaningful use of other recently learned words - mommy, daddy, love.  I've always enjoyed watching my children glow in the joy of learning early literacy skills.

Peace connected with the spirit of this holiday through her writing.  Her written pieces abound with messages of unconditional love, sharing, compassion, helping others in need.  Oh. my. heart. swelled. with each new work.  Her understanding of justice and sharing and giving is just so rich and inspiring.  To see the world through her heart and eyes...

Here's a sampling of one of my favorites:

I love Valentine's Day because you get Valentine cards and people write very nice words in them.  I also like Valentine's Day because during Valentine's Day it's time to love.  Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays because I like to get crafte (crafty) with my Valentine's cards and bag.  Another reason I like Valentine's day is because people have fun and I enjoy seeing that.  And, last but not least, I like Valentine's Day because you share, smile, have fun, and it's just really fun.

I'm so thankful to have carved out moments to watch these personalities unfold this Valentine's Day.  They are wonderful, full of life, and, genuinely, full of love.  And that is worth celebrating!

Happy Valentine's Day to you my friends!

this moment {my valentine}

Linking with SouleMamma and many others:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

May your Valentine's weekend be filled with such sweet kisses!

this moment

Linking with SouleMamma and many others:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

May you find occasion to stop and see the world right before your eyes!

an accident

It began as most February winter mornings do - cold and dreary with a soft layer of new fallen snow on the ground.  Our morning routine wrapped up successfully and I dropped the kids off at daycare in comfortable time.  As I headed up the familiar steep hill, I concerned my mind with the potential oncoming traffic that makes its presence known suddenly, often causing a quick veer toward the edge of the road.  The road narrow, without berm, drainage ditches lining both sides.

In an instant, my tire caught the edge of the road.  I watched as my front right side sunk deep into the ditch and I exhaled.  Time stood still and the van bounced violently from ditch to air to grass; forced left and back onto the road, missing the tree by inches.  

I cannot recall or imagine what my feet were doing.  Did I brake?  Did I accelerate?  I do not know. 

My arms steered.  Did it matter?  I do not know.

The car stopped as suddenly as it began.  There was no other car traveling toward me that would have spurred my movement off the road.  Just me.  

'What happened,' I wondered.  I do not know.

I found my coffee cup under the gas pedal emptying in gulps onto the floor.  The visor had been forced down as though shielding me from the sun.  I got out of the car, shaking, breathing.  There seemed to be little damage.  

The tire tracks in the snow, however, told a story of luck or grace or guardian angel.  The deep descent into the ditch, the air born seconds between ditch and landing, the narrow escape from front end collision.  Again, it seemed only right to breathe.  There was a prayer of gratitude in that breath.

I got back in and drove off slowly.  The van drove as though it had been on a simple adventure.  Only the steering column forgot to straighten itself.

A day later, the car has been examined and appears to have minimal damage, mostly cosmetic.  Though the memories and what-ifs haunt my every thought.  Time will heal this, I know.  Wrapped in those memories, though, is a deep thankfulness for how it happened and who was not in the van with me and that there were no other parties involved.  So, I try to hang onto the thankfulness and breathe out the what-ifs.  And know, in the breathing, that God is oh. so. good!

hands

Lately I've been noticing hands and all they do.  Have you ever really stopped to watch someone work with their hands?  I see such expression in the movement of them, such personality - swift, caring, strong and assured.  

Hands of an infant, not quite toddler, exploring his world move with slow curiosity and simple persistence.  Each move often missing its target or pulling back at the surprise found in new textures.  There is something about watching the hands of a child that just grounds me.  It is pure.

Hands fully immersed in creative moments are especially fun to watch, too.  There is an energy and authenticity in watching one create with their hands, whether its food or craft, art or music.  Creative hands seem to move as if something else, not the mind or the body to which they are attached, but some greater force inspires their movement.  Simple and beautiful.

We've had the gift and opportunity to put our own hands to work in the name of January birthday and cultural celebrations.  What fun it was to work together, our little family, on handmade gifts and cards, homemade treats, and food for sharing from our cultural traditions.  I hope you'll enjoy a peak at our hands at work!

this moment

Linking with SouleMamma and many others:

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

May you find warmth in those closest to you...