1. I have a husband who loves me.....amidst my overwhelming faults he amazingly still manages to genuinely love me.
2. I have a beautiful, healthy daughter and a precious son on the way.
3. I have been blessed with a healthy body that can function well to perform even simple everyday tasks. I am able to hug and squeeze and hold my daughter. I have eyes that can see the beauties around me and watch my daughter grow. I can run and dance and play with her.
If you'd like a moment of self reflection I invite you to read about two young mothers in need here. As I read of their situations I was ashamed to realize that my biggest frustration in life as of late has been which double stroller to purchase. Who the heck cares?!? How is it that I manage to let myself get so caught up in the details of living, the mundane, mostly unnecessary frustrations of life, focusing so much on me me me that I forget the simple BEAUTY OF LIFE. I suppose this is a struggle for many of us. I'm thankful for wonderful reminders that bring my focus back.....whatever avenue they may come through.
I was finally able to compose myself when I heard Kennedy wake up from her nap. I walked into her room to hear her excitedly exclaim "Circle!" as she pointed to a button on her pants. I burst into tears yet again. "Yes, sweetheart, that's a circle." Oh the beauties of life. The beauties of getting to watch a child of God learn and grow. I pick her up and squeeze her as she points out all the circles on my shirt. How blessed I am. I wish James were coming home tonight so I could hold him and not let go. (He's staying up in SL with his grandparents since everyone at Goldman has been on 24 hour work notice with the big announcements by Lehman Brothers & Merrill Lynch.) Then again, maybe it will be better that he comes back tomorrow since I'll undoubtedly be a sobbing mess all day and night. Until tomorrow sweetie.........and here's wishing all of you a Beautiful Day.
"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).
4 comments:
Why is it so hard to live in the moment sometimes? So often, I feel myself doing just what Quindlen says, rushing from one thing to the next. I have to remind myself constantly to just enjoy my children, and really focus on them when I am with them. I'm learning to deal with the fact that my house will likely be messy more often than not :).
(By the way, to this day Erica gets excited about shapes she sees everywhere! Circles are a favorite of hers too!).
You inspire me! Your little family is so cute, and you are such a good mommy!
Someday I'll be one too. And I'm getting excited about it after hearing from people like you :) Thanks for "sharing" Kennedy when you come over. I cannot wait to meet your new little person.
Love you guys!
Kaela
I remember reading that in the ensign, since then I have been trying to make that my motto,"Treasure the dong a little more and the getting it done a little less" It has definitely changed my perspective.
We all need a little reminder sometimes to truly live to the fullest and that includes being truly grateful for the fulness of our lives. Thanks for the reminder!
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