Gift #325- Beautiful Words

I stumbled across this blog post this afternoon.  It was a well-timed stumble.  
(I underlined my favorite lines)

I am stretched and tired and fearful.

I am wild and brave and broken.
But this one life is on purpose and it’s not by accident where I woke up this morning.

I have lost it, yelled it, fought it, cried it and apologized it all before 9am.

I have fingerpainted, caffeinated, and run out of explanations for a line of why questions that stretches around the living room, out the front door and around the block.

I have tripped on Legos, stepped on scooters, slept on bottom bunks, and strung yards of white, twinkling lights to ward off the dark and their bad dreams.

I have been woken up, shaken up, thrown up, loved up, and shut up. I have never quite, completely, ever given up.

Love sleeps in my bed. Curiosity eats at my table. Delight runs laps around my back yard. Exhaustion is a faithful friend. But so is grace.

If I started tonight and counted backwards all the gifts of this wild and furious season I would still be counting when the grandchildren were standing on tippy toes with noses pressed against these same smudged windows.

So I count dimples instead.

And piles of stray socks and jeans with knees missing and shoes that only fit for a few months and hair cuts and loose teeth and how many times I look at them and say with the disbelief of the proud, “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown!”

I am overwhelmed, infatuated, love struck and completely unhinged. Especially on the nights they bring in wild flowers and all the ever-loving mud in the world.

I am out of my mind and in my calling and desperate for five minutes alone and a lifetime together.

I want to stop time, tame my fears, bottle their dreams, live a hundred summers of dripping, sticky, chocolate swirl ice cream. And in between I hang onto my faith, my temper, and my sense of humor with my fingernails.

These are the good days, the glory days, the slow-as-molasses days. These are the fast years, the wonder years, the how-do-I-find-words years.

But we do. They usually start with “help” and end with “thank you” and the middle?

The middle is a thick layer of reliable wonder sometimes whispered, often shouted, always answered.

The middle is me. The middle is you. The middle is just this one, sacred, take-off-your-shoes-worthy syllable,

“mom.”
(http://momastery.com/blog/2013/06/10/for-the-dog-days/)

Gift #324- Uncle Paul

When Macy found out that it was Uncle Paul's birthday last week, she immediately went to her art basket and made him a poem.  She wanted me to mail it to him, but I thought that I might just post it instead.  Happy Belated Birthday Uncle Paul.  We love you!

PS- Random fact about Uncle Paul-  He is responsible for teaching the Thomas boys about the Wedgie!  A lesson that they have perfected and use often.  Thanks Uncle Paul.  :0)

Gift #323- My Dad

Happy Belated Birthday Dad!  (June 10)  Although I have overheard you tell Kim, Pat, Beth and Ted the exact same thing, I know that you truly meant it when you told me that I was your favorite.  It will be our little secret.  You have loved us all so well and we are so blessed to be able to call you our dad!

Gift # 322- Mary

Mary is an amazing sister in law.  She is fun and funny and compassionate.  She stands by her man and is the best little momma!  The Lord has recently planted her right in the middle of a mission field and she is totally blooming!  Happy Belated Birthday Mary!  (June 8)

Gift #321- Uncle Rob

I think that every kid in the world needs an Uncle Rob.  Somebody to take them four wheeling and up to the farm.  Somebody to play video games and go hunting with.  Uncle Rob has a heart the size of Texas and we love him so very much.  Happy belated birthday!   (June 6)

Gift #320- Aunt Bobbie

Aunt Bobbie lived right next door to me when I was growing up.  She used to cut my hair in her home beauty shop.  She gave me a perm from time to time also!  :0)  I spent hours in her swimming pool and in her tree house.  We had countless fish fries under her shed!  I was lucky to grow up right beside her and my cousins.  We made so many memories.  Happy belated birthday Aunt Bobbie.

Gift #319- Sweet Annie

May 18th was Annie's birthday and I don't know how I let it slip by me without posting about her!  Annie and I met when she was in middle school.  I was dating her stinky brother.  We bonded one day over prank phone calls and I have loved her ever since.   I am a little envious that Zac Brown chose to write a song about her and not me, but I won't hold it against her.  I hope that the Lord sees fit to allow us to live close to each other someday so we can get into more trouble together.  We have matured past prank phone calls, but I am sure that we could find something else to get into!  Happy belated birthday Annie!  We Love You!

Gift #318- Scotty

Scotty's 40th came on the 17th of May!  

Scotty is a wonderful brother in law and uncle!  He is spoken very highly of and often by his nephews and niece here in Japan.  He is a very talented "fixer of all things".  He is the kind of guy who would give you the shirt right off of his back and we are blessed to have him in our family.  Scotty, Sam wants to know if he can borrow your bike?  He said that his Mimi and Papa would bring it when they come in September and that he would return it to you in a couple of years.  Maybe you can think about it?  :0)   Happy Belated 40th!  We love you.

Gift #317- My Sister Beth

I could not be more grateful for the gift that God gave me in my sister Beth.  She is my go-to-girl when I need to be cheered up or when I need a dose of reality.  She has the best sense of humor and always manages to brighten a room.  She jokes that I really know how to bring down a room with one of my starving orphan or sick puppy stories.  But she calls me anyway and listens to my stories and always sympathizes.  Then she tells me a joke or tells me a funny story about one of the kids.  We have contemplated homeschooling our children together.  But have recently come to the realization that we are both completely crazy for even thinking it!  She is kind-hearted and compassionate and would do anything for a friend.   As I type about my sisters, I realize once again how happy I am that Macy will have a sister of her own to laugh and cry and grow up with.  I don't know what I would do without mine.