I'll Love You Forever

My friend and best seamstress, Jen, posted a link to this blogpost (be warned, you're going to tear up--I did!) and I just felt so inspired by her thoughts--Jen's thoughts as well--you should read her post too. I think a lot about motherhood these days. In fact, I had my yearly check up with my ob today (aren't those so fun?) and we talked about family.

I think a lot about the family that I have. I love my children so much. I marvel at their talents and their beauty. I wonder how I could ever have been trusted to raise such amazing humans. I do wish that I did a better job of taking the time to plan more crazy and fun activities for my kids. But the post reminded me that when it comes down to it, there's something that is so special and sacred about family that you can't produce through a perfectly executed birthday party.

Tonight Derek came home a bit early from work (before 6!) and he ran upstairs and threw on some shorts and ran outside to play ball with the kids. I folded laundry upstairs and it ran through my mind that this is bliss. Not so much the folding laundry, but the building of family. Sure, there's work to be done, but there's time to play and laugh together too.

As I think about how much there is to be done every day, it is overwhelming at times, but when I have some sweet moments where I stop and hug one of my children or sing a little song with them I feel so close to them. That feeling is such a comfort and such a lift to my spirit.

Maybe these feelings are why being a grandparent must be so grand--you finally have more time to stop and enjoy these little people without having to haggle with them to eat correctly or quit fighting or to flush the toilet. You love more than you push. You relax a bit and appreciate how quickly these kids grow.

I hope that someday when my kids are adults they can feel like I do about my own mom and grandma, that when I need to feel unconditional love and support, it's no further than a phone call to the women who love me.