We’ve all had those Mommy memories that will forever be stamped in our minds. The ones we don’t want to ever forget and the ones we’d pay big money to forget! Both are necessary in this journey called Motherhood. The precious memories keep us going and the hard and not fun memories make us stronger and our relationships deeper with our children. So whatever season of Motherhood we’re in – sweet, tender, awesome, crazy-hard, challenging or down right miserable know that they are all making something beautiful out of both you and your children.
Today when I contemplate special, funny and less than stellar memories with my kids this is what comes to mind:
- At three years old Mitchell spotted a purple violet in a field and ran about half a mile to pick it and run back to give it to me. We were at on outside event and music was blaring and I couldn’t hear a word he was saying but his lips were moving and his little legs motoring as fast as they could. Breathless he handed me the flower and said, “I gotted this just for you Mom!” I kept it in my Bible for years and then lost it accidentally.
- While in line at Old Navy four year old Sophie was looking at the toy rack a few steps away. I start to hear music and soon realize she is playing a toy flute – with.her.nostrils.
- The time Sophie got in trouble for disobeying and I told her to go write sentences. With great confusion and frustration in her eyes she said, “But Mama, I don’t even know how to write!” Oh yeah, that’s right, you don’t. Well, give me a minute and I’ll think of something!
- How about when Mitchell at four years old is performing at another church’s vbs program and during the song he decides to break out into his own Elvis Pelvis moves and brings the house down. Randy I fought over who could go pick him up when his name was called at the end of the program. If I recall correctly we got a round of applause when we went down to get him.
- The dates Mitchell and I used to have together where he would take me out for a donut or ice cream, order and pay for me and open the door for me. We’d talk about boy stuff – bugs, animals and adventures. I miss those days. We simply must start it again.
- Sophie copped an attitude with me over a pineapple at Walmart and was pitching a tantrum over us not buying it. I bent down and told her I was going to take her whiney words and flush them down the toilet. I felt the rush of regret as soon as it came out. I’d never said anything like that before. Where did it even come from?! As I stood up after my potty mouth correction and turned around there was a church member’s son staring right at me. Mortified and guilt ridden.
- The precious prayers of my children over me melt my heart like nothing else does. I’ve experienced this more recently with this leg injury and it really does warm my heart unlike anything else.
- Three weeks ago Sophie informed me she was too old to hold my hand in a parking lot. We had just finished up our discipleship time at McD’s and so she had my Bible in her hand. We got in the car and I was flipping out over her thinking she was too old to hold my hand. I was joking and pretending to gasp for breath out of shock over it. When we got int he car she held up her Bible and said, “I have a Bible in my hand and I’m not afraid to use it!” I looked at her and said, “You’d really try to bonk me with the Word of God?” She laughed and then said I was the one being sacrilegious. Sigh.
- When my son threw me under the bus in Youth Group a few weeks ago. “When I apologize to my Mom she says back to me, ‘Well, I’m sorry too, now go to your room!’ It’s true I sometimes say, “I’m sorry too” after an apology that seems half witted. But I don’t send him to his room. When I asked him about it he said, “Oh yeah, I kind of made that part up. Ha! Ha!” Then I sent him to his room. Just Kidding. It did provide a great conversation though and I did need to apologize for being insensitive when he apologizes.
- Mitchell and Sophie spending the night with me in the hospital last week and helping take care of me has been humbling and sweet. I know they love me and they know I love them. It has been proven time and time again.
Happy Mother’s Day friends!
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