This Present Joy

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...