May 14, 2013
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my own song
Shari writes a beautiful song about mothers.
And Beth’s attitude about motherhood always inspires.
Sweet Shanda describes her job as a mom as FUN.
Voskamp’s words catch me deep inside and make me cry.
I write here about my own venerable mother.
My friend Christy celebrates motherhood with taking so many darling photos of her boys.
I love the uniqueness of each one.
Should I add my own thoughts to the wide world of words on mothering this May?
Last week, out in the sunshine and wind with my hoe,
I wondered again at how quickly I came to this place.
I’m a mother of 6.
They have the most captivating brown eyes ever.
All of them with long lashes like their dad’s.
Some of them have deep voices and drive tractors.
Some of them are so organized and fastidious that it scares me.
Some of them listen incessantly to story tapes and eat copious amounts of cookies.
Some of them still think I’m the most wonderful person ever.
Sometimes I feel really fragile about my position.
Like I’m still an adolescent, struggling to become a well-rounded person.
Not that tower of strength that I want to be.
Every day selfishness creeps closer than I wish it did.
And impatience hangs around and stays too long.
Dear children of mine,
If I teach you nothing else, may you learn from me to get up and try again after a failure.
May you be grateful for these words about God like I am:
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
I’m so thankful for your dad and for God, who fill in the huge gaps I’ve caused in your little hearts.
******************************************
Mother’s Day was happy.
I was brought breakfast in bed by 4 excited children. Oatmeal muffins made by Dan.
The flowers from the houseplant spilled over and made my feet wet.
Three little children fought over sitting next to me while I drank my tea.
The boys rolled their eyes over Mother’s Day photos before church.
The photos were stiff and unpublishable.
In church I was handed the chewed gum that they didn’t know what to do with.
And after church we tried some windy photos with the sun full in our faces.
(I madly try to direct my brood into order below.)
The crooked ones kind of sort of turned out. Sorry if angled photos bug you. I don’t know if they’re considered cool or terrible.
At least the clouds are gorgeous.
(is the small one picking her nose?)
We went to the park and had a windy picnic.
Dan grilled the meat, Victoria made deviled eggs, and I wasn’t supposed to lift a finger with packing up the picnic food.
The pickle jar spilled and everything got covered with juice in the wind.
The chips and cheese wrappers blew away.
But I looked around at sun-browned faces and knew with certainty how blessed I am.
Today the little girls fight over who gets to be the prettiest in the game they’re playing and who wears the favorite Indian outfit.
I can’t get the boys out of bed this morning.
I am pulled in 50 different directions.
The towels on the clothesline blew off.
There is a huge purple crocheted chain carefully laid out on our bed with a note on it for Dad & Mom.
It’s a crazy life that we do together.
It’s an incredible life.
Comments (9)
I think we all feel as you do at times. I know I do, especially the part about feeling like an adolescent trying to raise children when I feel like one myself! LOL
The pictures are lovely, you look content.
I did think and wonder if small one was picking her nose but it’s all part of the charm! LOL
It’s so sweet that they gave you breakfast in bed!!! Yummy!
Love this post. So many things that resonate with me!
Voskamp made me cry, too. You and she must be related….YOu both have a beautiful and honest way of pouring out what’s going on inside. You are beautiful and I don’t mind bending my neck to see the photos straight on! I like the creativity and how everyone looks! The wind, no doubt is more awful there than here but I know how frustrating it can be when things get blown away or over or off! Your breakfast in bed looks sweet and thoughtful; the BEST kind! I’m so happy that you have sunshine there! Do you think the snow is over with now? I wish I could come up there and see you!
Seriously sometimes I look around at the kids and the chores waiting for me and I think, really? I’m in charge of this? How did I get here? Who thought this was a good idea?? LOL
I think a year or two ago I posted my mother’s day photo on the couch along with a few of the “outtakes” too. I’ve got one from this year as well where my head is turned, undoubtedly telling someone to put their hands down, or to fake it for 3 seconds for a picture! ha
I have similar thoughts. Mine go like this, “Would the real grown-up please step forward?”
Love the picture of you herding your brood! And the other ones, too.This mothering thing- it sure is crazy- and incredible, just like you said!
your own song is beautiful, luci.
and i like the angled photos!
xo.
Thanks again for being real. We might as well just embrace our OWN crazy life, it’s what we’ve got, and it’s actually pretty good!:) The ‘herding your kids’ pictures looks exactly like something I would do.
Luci, I wanted to howl with laughter at the first picture of you and your kids. Love your sense of humour in posting it. Love this post. Love you.