Today as I entered the backdoor, Wylie greeted me. She was beaming from ear to ear and desperately wanted me to go to my bedroom. My "I-can't-keep-a-secret" little girl was unable to hold in that she had a surprise from school waiting for me beside my bed. Without even hesitating, I put down everything in my hands and went straight to my bedside table.
Waiting for me was a plastic solo cup with Wylie's picture on it and grass growing from the top! Wylie giggled the entire time she explained the grass was her "hair" and we could cut it like the hair cutters do!! Underneath the cup of grass was a note from Wy to me. It read…
I mad this for you mommy. It is a plat for you o-k-
and it has a picksher of me on the picksher
o-k mom.
love wylie
With everything I had in me, I gushed over this grass cup and note! The pride my little love had in giving this gift to me was evident and made me once again realize that at this moment in time, Wylie thinks I have hung the moon. I love that. I love that she wants to make things for me at school and see me excited to read and get them. I love that she stares at my every facial move waiting to see if I love what she has created. I love that this little grass cup shows she thought of me during her day just like I thought of her!
I am so thankful I didn't tell her to "Hold on a Minute" as I heard her request. Because lately I have realized these are words that I say too much. No, why should I make her hold on a minute so I can finish "looking down"! Being in that moment was more important, priceless and rewarding than anything I was going to get from a device.
And then, if my grass cup wasn't enough…
In struts Bess. While originally she was suppose to be preparing to ride with me to run my Bailey Bus Shuttle, she and Charlie had decked her little body in a "girl baseball" outfit. I was quickly informed that she would not be riding with me to art lessons but rather going with her daddy and brother to the dug out of a baseball field. Charlie had even been so kind as to help Bess find an old jersey of his with a number on the back so she would look like a player!! All Bess was missing was a hat! Thankfully we located one of those and the child was happier than Christmas morning! And once I explained that the pony tail could go through the back of the baseball hat, it was on!!
So after the outfit and hair do… I was asked by Charlie if I could take their picture.
What? Me use a camera?! It is practically glued to my hand anyways… I mean…
So outside we went. Thinking I was going to snap a little huggy picture of the 2 of them… nope! Charlie had props ready for him and his sister. Together they used their gear to create the most adorable "pretend" baseball photos I have ever seen!
Doesn't that look like the face of a happy girl?! Sadly, Charlie had the fabulous idea but I didn't prep him to remind him to do his "beanie weenie" smile which always gets the "real" smile to his face!
It was after this snap, that I again was thankful for taking the time to be in the moment.
Yes, it really wasn't anything extraordinary. Kids play dress up everyday. That wasn't the point.
More than anything, it was a moment where I was once again shown how I have been guilty of not cherishing the memories that are flying by me day in and day out.
And then… my littlest love Ben…
While I still don't understand why I thought shopping for new undergarments would be a task I could handle with my three year old, I attempted it anyways! After being thankful I was not asked to leave the store due to my little love discussing (in his creative language) many topics relating to my anatomy AND THEN being thankful I was not called out for the level of whining that he immediately went into over a toy water gun I refused to purchase… I survived the event and left with 2 new under garmets!!
As I loaded up the tantrum child and struggled to buckle his flailing little legs into a car seat , my blood was boiling. My patience had been tested, it was gone, finished, tapped out and had simply disappeared. I walked to the driver's side, preparing to get into the car with the screaming tantrum child… I was looking so forward to it!!
I drove the mile to the art lesson and prepared to wait for Wylie to exit. Still the drama in the seat behind me continued. For 15 minutes. Thankfully, Wylie calmed the child down and the momma was able to blank out her brain for a minute.
While driving down the road though, and still a bit on the ledge of frustration, Ben said (in a precious voice, not the tantrum voice)
"Mom, I gots a secret"
and then before I could say "What's the secret?" he said
"I love you this much to the sky"
Well I just might as well raise my hand for Horrible Mother of the Moment Award!! I felt like an ant on the side of a sidewalk.
After telling him I loved him "this much to the sky" too, I couldn't help but feel that feeling again.
The what if I had said "Not right now Ben, I'm driving" or "Hold on a minute". And yet thankful I didn't say it feeling at the same time.
I don't want to take a walk down memory lane and remember a device more than I remember days with memories. I look around and see so many distractions that keep me from seizing the moments that I can't get back. I want memories that are captured in my heart (and maybe a camera too!!)
I might be crazy. I might sound old fashioned. I might be silly. But I won't regret "looking down" because I aim to be "looking up".
"When you're too busy looking down, you don't see the chances you miss" …
"Live Life the Real Way"
~ Gary Turk
To view Look Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY
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