Remembering the Real Stuff...

This morning when attempting to make a rare foray outside of our humble property, I heard myself say the words I have so many times..'NEVER. AGAIN' as I packed up five pint-sized human beings one at a time in 100% humidity. (Did I mention that during the last stages of preparation before 'take-off', my four and two year old discovered that the garden hose had been left on and sprayed each other until they were saturated to the bone?)

It wasn't pretty.

 It often is not pretty. The part of my job description that includes the 'training and molding of young hearts, minds and spirits' does not promise pretty scenes of perfection. Sure, there are those sweet moments that are snapshots I tuck into my heart for when I am the white haired lady rocking in my zip-up-the-front velour robe, recalling the 'good old days' to my granddaughter who doesn't seem to be enjoying the great gift of young life coloring her world. "Don't try to rush these days away" I might say...unless, perhaps, I am still able to recall the following from these early stages of motherhood:

Life Is Unfair.

Letting children learn to grasp this concept can be noisy and tiresome.

I can totally relate to God, as His creations seem to have a very 

difficult time graciously accepting this fact. I am one of those Creations.

Magical and messy moments 

can coexist.

Making memories takes a lot of effort, but it is effort well spent.

(Even I, in this moment, can see that.)

Life is full of choices.

How do I react to 'spilled milk'? With joy that their was milk to be spilled in the first place, or aggravation that it was spilled WITH the Cheerio's in it and all before 7aAM?

Life does not line itself up perfectly so we can show it off. 

There are those who try, but I have given up. 

Well, kinda. 

In my heart I still wanted the children to be dressed in white linen nightwear 

whilst lined up on the couch, enraptured by an old copy of The Book of Virtues, 

However....

 

 ...This was the closest I got to achieving the desired (false) image anyway.

At least the children got marshmallows out of it and I was reminded how silly it is to try and take a picture of something that does not reflect our reality.

 

Perhaps if I print out this blog as I intend (to be one big, collective "Baby Book" for all the children to share amongst themselves), these memories will not be blurred into the background and I'll be able to pat the hand of my granddaughter and assure her "This too shall pass...". No doubt I'll still wish for these days back, though.

As for this blog, I have never entered in anything. I do not advertise or join clubs. It just isn't "me" (although I see nothing wrong with others doing so!). In a whim, typical of the Sanguine (personality)I am, I decided to enter The Coffee Cottage in Circle Of Mom's Top 25 Faith Blogs By Moms. Even though it's not the Nobel Peace Prize I'm submitting my name to, it still feels (quite honestly) a bit presumptuous and I am a tad embarrassed to ask for your vote...but if you are sitting around with nothing to do but clean out the dirt between your toes, I sure would appreciate your vote. You can vote once a day until June 8th. Or you can never vote at all...and I will a.) never know and b.) still be completely happy if my children's 'baby book' and my personal  journal ranks at No.499,999 of 500,000.

Thanks for visiting me in my little corner!