I can't just ever accept life as it is. I can't just keep doing things as they've always been done. I have to stand in front of the mirror image of my life & reflect, change, ponder, think, consider, wonder, ask.
Reflection #1: I have no idea how to maintain & care for 5 children. I didn't take enough parenting preparation classes, covering things like, "Teaching your children how to dress," or "How often to go get a haircut?" I just crack up looking at this photo. They look like the Rag Tag Team. Oh gosh, though, how I love my Rag Tag Team!!
This is the big team getting ready for the egg hunt. Noah is hidden & probably pouting at this point because Mark got on to him about something & he went into ultimate pout mode. He's excellent at this mode & you never know how long it's going to last. I too am good at things, like not charging the camera battery when I thought about it. This was the last photo I got because the battery died. Oh well. There have been egg hunts & there will be others.
Reflection #2: It is never too late for a new tradition. I have a book that I just adore & if I could follow every piece of advice or take on each new idea I read in its pages, I would. Alas, there is not enough time in our days to incorporate all the many splendors of Victorian days from Sarah Ban Breathnach's book. But, we did take on the idea of building a nest for the Easter Bunny. On Saturday night, we went outside in our pjs & slippers, flashlights in hand & we built a nest for the Easter Bunny under our favorite tree. It's our favorite tree because underneath it's branches on the Earth's floor is a mossy layer of purple & yellow flowers which dear daddy would promptly tell us were just weeds, but we know otherwise. We gathered sticks, twigs, branches, leaves & handfuls of grass & built the most spectacular circular nest for the Easter Bunny. We even topped it off with 3 different colors of sparkly Easter grass & at this moment is when Noah said, "This nest is so beautiful. It looks as if Angels built it." I had to agree. It was quite wonderful. And it was perfect for the Easter Bunny to lay our Easter treasures in & hop right back into his forest home. When we were happy with our creation, we trotted back inside to warm up & go to bed to await the Easter Bunny's arrival.
When morning came Noah once again had some issues that he felt were worth pouting over, so his excitement to see what the Easter bunny had brought him was not apparent one teeny bit. I begged him to remember how beautiful the nest was & how special we had made it & that I sorely didn't want him to miss out on the magic of this moment, but he's one determined little boy when it comes to getting the pouting done.
Reflection #3: Not all traditions/magical moments are going to be perfect. No matter how hard you try. No matter how pretty you dress everyone up. No matter what great lengths you go to, to make sure everything is just right....that moment can be ruined & the memory may not be as sweet, but you remember it nonetheless.
Not only had Noah' s pouting put a damper on things, but Mark realized at the last minute that he had to leave for church early, so he only had a moment to watch the kids get their Easter baskets & then he had to jet. Which left me with the pouty boy who had crushed all my Easter morning dreams & the rest of the lot, two of which did not want to get into the car so we could go to church & I was in pantyhose & heels on muddy ground praying I could get to the babies before they fell. Which I did, but then I just had to say something to Noah, which turned into a tear filled lament about what Christ did for us & how we need to live each moment with joy & happiness & let go of the moments that make us want to pout or be sad because he gave us so much to live for. What a big lout I am! We made it to church & it wasn't easy & it wasn't pretty, but oh we did have so much to live for so why pout?
Reflection #4: There is always a smile to brighten the day, you just have to chase the poutiness away.
6 comments:
There is a class for how to dress a child and how often they should get haircuts??? I missed that one! (: If you ever feel bad - tell me and I will send pictures (I can't hide the hair on my blog) but I laugh and snap pictures sometimes in disbelief in the outfits my kids pick!!! I often laugh and say - "another German outfit"! (my Grandfather immigrated from Germany - so I mean no disrespect) but when I lived there I laughed at the outfits sometimes!!! Oh - I like this and I like this = I will wear it together!!! (: B does that A LOT!!!! But I figure I am fostering a healthy attitude that we don't have to look like everyone else - no need to feel bad if we haven't primped today!!! (: Cute pictures - LOVE the nest idea!!! That right there gives you bonus points on the memory radar. Take credit and leave the "could have/should haves" - you are a great mom!!!
Yours words are so carefully chosen about your life and family and I love that. Not only do you write a perfect moment for me to read but show me as well! Thank you! I love how MUCH effort you put into your family and the moments you have with them. So on behalf of your children I say Thank you!
Well.... I think that the truly beautiful Easter Bunny nest was indeed made by angels.
Yeah... the best laid plans of mice and men or something like that, eh?
I love how Mark is standing with his arms crossed in that second picture like he's keeping the troops from charging, haha. Super great picture. Everyone looks so pretty in their Sunday best. Noah's suit is just so cute on him and the girls all look so pretty. I like the way the nest turned out. I'm in imagination, it didn't look that cute! Don't beat yourself up over being a mom, Supermom doesn't exist! WE do the best we can and hope they all turn out ok in the end!
What darling kids...wish we lived a bit closer so we could see them once in awhile! Looks like you had a great Easter!
Noah is SO cute! He is such a sweet boy. "Angels built it." That nest is the coolest idea! Maria your kids will have a million good memories! Love ya! -Erin
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