This Present Joy

This morning, we found ourselves back at a place that evokes so many emotions in me.  Cook Children’s Medical Center.  Hannah had to be there at 6:30 AM for a surgery to remove a cyst above her eye.  The cyst had been there for over 6 months and though it wasn’t a concern, it needed to be removed so it didn’t pose a problem in the future.  So, we found ourselves in one of the happily-decorated waiting rooms, listening to Doc McStuffins, as multiple medical personnel walked by the windows.  Most of them smiled, some kindly waved at Hannah. I wondered what each of their specialities was—how many children they had seen through the night, how grave or hopeful each prognosis was. . . It made me thankful all over again for people who pour their lives into practicing medicine.   Soon, we found ourselves back in the pre-op area, answering questions about medical history, possible allergies, etc.  Hannah sat cross-legged on the bed, looking pretty comfortable.  The anesthesiologist came by

Today was one of those days where I was especially overcome with love for my children. Don't get me wrong--I love them to my very core, always. But, in the mundane of all the "dailies", in the sibling squabbles, the whining, the testing of my patience. . . well, let's just say, I will often tuck them in at night while they peacefully sleep, and think to myself, "Tomorrow I will be a more patient mommy, I promise." But, tonight, I was able to put all the unfinished housework aside, ignore a pile of paperwork in the office, leave dishes in the kitchen to be washed, and go for a leisurely walk in the neighborhood with Jason and the girls and forget about all the to-dos. And, not just go for a walk. But, observe and soak up my children's quirks, personalities. . everything that makes up their 3-year-old and 5-year-old little persons. Carly of course wanted to ride her bike, venturing out a little farther on her own--far enough where she was independent

Carly has always been a nature girl. Even when she was two, and we'd go on walks around our neighborhood, she would often linger near a flower or a tree, picking up stray petals and leaves. Rocks found their way into her pockets, and eventually into the stroller or her daddy's pockets. When we got home, she would unload her treasures and exclaim over each one. So, the other day, when we were playing outside, she gravitated towards the vibrant yellow in our yard--a dandelion. But, to a five-year-old, a dandelion is a flower and pretty in its own way. So, she plucked it right from the yard and said, "Mom, look what I got for you!" Usually, she hands over her findings to me and lets me "take care of them." But, this time, she held onto it. I figured she put it in the garage or maybe on the front porch. Later that night, I had to smile when I saw this on my nightstand.

Inevitably, children say the funniest--and sometimes the wisest--things. Wise because they remove all the fluff from conversation and just get to the heart of the matter rather quickly. And, then, there is the humor factor simply because of the way children may pronounce something or substitute words that sound right. Here are a few that I want to remember forever from my little gals: Carly somehow made up this saying when she wants me or J to remember something: "Remember that, Mom. Don't let it drop out of your mind!" Hannah likes to read Corduroy books--the sweet little bear who has a whole lot of fun making Valentines, having picnics with his friends and going on Easter egg hunts. She likes to refer to him, though, as "Corduboy." Carly woke up one day at Grammy's house and said when she looked outside, "It's a sunshiny day!" Instead of "it doesn't matter", Carly at one point said, "it doesn't care." When Hannah t

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. J's family came over for lunch and with everyone contributing a bit to the feast, we had just that. One of my favorite parts of our Thanksgiving meal is the cranberry sauce. It's a recipe my grandmother made when I was growing up, and it's absolutely delicious. Not to mention, it makes me think of her when I make it and brings back sweet memories. Another treat for our weekend was Aunt Stephanie coming to town! The girls had a fun time reading with her, playing at the park and going to breakfast. She brought her iPad with her, and Carly fell in love with the iBooks app. Stephanie and Carly sat and read The House at Pooh Corner for a LONG time. I was so close to waking up early on Friday morning for Black Friday sales. I didn't have my heart set on any particular gift item nor was I looking forward to battling crowds. Honestly, I just wanted to experience it. But, I slept in and the experience can wait until next year--or one after t

For what it's worth, I've written many blog posts in my head since February. I've blogged about Carly's dance recital from May, our trips to Florida and Omaha this summer, swim lessons, the first day of preschool for Carly and Hannah, and multiple in-between moments that represent this stage of life for our family. But, I just haven't gotten them typed from my head to the computer. Two years ago in December, I blogged once a day for 25 days about Things that Bring Joy . It was a fun thing to do but was definitely difficult, at times. So, I'm starting with baby steps. I'm hoping to blog once a week (yikes! I'm going from once every 9 months to once every week. Ha! Ha!) But, I very much want to capture my family's memories in these posts. Last year, I printed a book of my blog for my mom. I used http://www.blurb.com/ for the software, and let me tell you, it was awesome! (fyi, I'm not getting paid by them to wax eloquently about this) Sure, there