Observing Ages and Stages

Strawberry picking with six children can be. . . interesting. I had fun just observing the children and the different ways they responded to the job at hand. Let's begin with the oldest two children, Adalie and Chandler. These two are six years old and, in my opinion, very mature. They both seemed to greatly enjoy picking, and they prided themselves in the amount of berries they discovered. They lasted the entire hour and a half while we picked, and when the day was done, you could not see the bottom of their box of berries. They worked hard and were excited by the outcome. The middle two, Kylia and Lucas, are four years old. They had fun, at the beginning, but quickly tired and were ready to go home before the picking was complete. They didn't eat a lot, didn't pick a lot, and got to a point where they just didn't know what to do. For the two of the them, picking berries was not as exciting as it first seemed. The youngest two, Zoie and Kyla, were hilarious!! They found joy, not in the berries, but in the dirt. The dirt between the strawberry bushes, it seems, is perfect for washing your hands, legs, clothes, and anything else you desire. It's also good for throwing, and sifting between your fingers. For a good thirty minutes the two of them sat in the dirt and laughed at how dirty they were getting. When they were tired of the dirt they munched on berries, (which ended up as dusty as their bodies, and then went into their mouths). After a handful of berries they went back to the dirt. They kept themselves happy and entertained for the entire time we were there.

Today, it was fun to observe the different ages and different stages of my children. They are all so unique. I love their personalities. I love watching them interact with other children. I love being their mama!

Lego Love

I received a gift from my husband today, delivered by Kylia. In her hand was a Bath and Body Works bag, and on her face was a quirky smile. “This is from daddy!” she said. Of course I was instantly curious. What could my husband be up to? I quickly opened it and found a small Lego creation. On one side was a sticky note which read, “To: April Sue”, and as I looked I saw another sticky note. “What might that say?” I wondered. So I turned it around and my heart melted when I read, “You complete me! Love, Seth.”

He told me later he had been playing with Kylia and this little creation had come from it. What an amazing man! Not only does he play with his children, but he thinks of me at the same time. Wow! So Hot!!

Fun like a Child

We are often told to have Faith like a child. But I would like to add that we need to have Fun like a child. What do I mean? Well, the other day we were heading home from Portland, when our just potty-trained daughter informed us that she needed to go potty. We instantly searched the Garmin Nuvi for a rest area, and were elated to find one only 6 miles away. While there, Zoie discovered the joy of electric hand dryers. Please envision with me (since my camera was not on hand at the time) a small girl in braids. She is wearing a yellow dress and tennis shoes (She calls them her "Sparkle Shoes"). Her braids have lasted most of the day and are now beginning to fall out. These dryers are automatic and after drying her hands, she continued to dry her entire body. With eyes closed, and a smile spread from ear to ear, she stepped under the dryer, and giggled with delight. Her hair blowing in her face, I saw joy unlike anything else. This is having fun like a child. My Zoie found joy in the little things. And I found joy in her.

Blogging to Remember

My girls are now almost 7, almost 5, and just 3. They are beautiful, and fun, and filled with energy. They are full of life.I am their mama. Being their mama means I have a lot of responsibilities, and sometimes who they are and what they do, gets lost in the craziness of life. That is why I am beginning this blog. I want to remember.

I want to remember mornings like today. I was making breakfast for the girls, an amazing breakfast consisting of Honey Nut Cheerios, toast, and orange juice. Whenever I make toast for my family (even my dad when he comes to visit) I take a bite out of the toast. I’ve told the girls that the bite is to let them know how much they are loved. Well, this morning, as is now normal, I made their toast and took a bite out of it. As Kylia carried her toast to the table she said so sweetly, “Thanks for the love bite, mom.” I just smiled. This morning, in some silly way, she knew I cared.

I want to remember the silliness of my girls, the sweet moments, and the special times. I also want to remember the man I haven fallen even more in love with over the past ten years. I want to remember those things he says and does that make my heart melt, and my love for him grow.

For example, a few months back, I had a man stop me in the Walmart parking lot. The three girls were buckled in the car, and I was returning my cart. He simply said, “Excuse me, I’m sorry, you’re gorgeous.” (Now, I have to admit, this caught me quite off guard because it rarely happens. I let off a vibe that shouts, “I’m taken, and happy!”) Then he asked, “Are you married?” I responded quickly with, “Very happily!” and pointed to my girls. I went home and told Seth what had happened. The next day I had to leave for a bit and Seth stayed with the girls. When I got home there was a note on the fridge that said, “I think you’re gorgeous!” Then for the next month, he repeated those wonderful words. Coming from him, a man who has watched our three babies be born, seen me every morning for the last ten years, seen me irritable and seen me sad, my heart soared. To know, even after all these years, my husband sees me as gorgeous is amazing.

I am so blessed, and this blog is to help me remember just that.

I am blessed.