Morning Walk

Mornings are crazy with little ones in the house. It's an up at 6, running around getting breakfast, finding homework backpacks and shoes. It's a "your going to be late" "don't forget your lunch" kind of rush that starts over every day. Once Lauren is off to school, then it's a empty the dishwasher, re-load the laundry, feed Reece breakfast, "don't touch that", "don't throw food", "be soft with the animals", kind of day. With the hussle and bussle of just taking care of kids, we (or, maybe just I) get overwhelmed with the doing of parenting and not so much of the feeling of it. I worry so much about being a good mom and making sure all of the functions of motherhood are done properly, then sometimes I forget to look at these little people and just love the moment. I feel bad that I am not doing crafts with the kids everyday, or I am not going on some new adventure with them. I want to build memories and I worry that I am not. But it's not the going and the doing that the kids really want. It's time. Your time. It's when I turn off the T.V when Lauren starts talking about her day. Or when I walk away from the computer when Evan asks me to read to him. It's taking the time in the middle of vaccuming the house to hold Reece on my lap and singing "The Ittsy Bittys Spider." It's looking at my kids in the eyes when they are talking to me, and letting them control the flow of the conversation.

Evan wanted to go on a walk today. I didn't, I'm not going to lie about that one. I was tired and a little cranky. A good book while the kids watched the Disney Channel sounded so much better to me then pushing a double stroller around the neighborhood. But, boy did Buddy want to go. So I did, and I am glad I did. Reece was so enthusiastic about the smallest things, a bird, a bug, a plane flying over head, a little paper wind mill in someones yard. And Evan was so cute, ever encouraging his baby brother's delights.

That was enough to turn around my mood, but then a sweet little old lady was also on a walk. She had a name tag from the Legacy house in Ogden that identified her as Audry. She stopped to talk to the boys a minute. She pointed out their beautiful blue eyes and their sweet smiles. She got all emotional and told me to please take time to appreciate the little things because before long the kids will be grown. I don't know who she was, I have never met her before, but I couldn't stop thinking about her words. When we got home, Evan Reece and I played with cars and wrestled on the ground. I guess I just wanted to pass on Audry's advice. If you find yourself too busy making dinner or cleaning the house, if you're to wrapped up in the mechanics of motherhood, just stop and enjoy your little ones. For far to soon, your little ones will be to big to sit on the floor with you and play cars.

So, thanks Audry, where ever you are. I listened.