I see moms with multiple children who are able to be on time to events with their children looking adorable in the latest fashions. There are mothers all around me who not only remember teacher appreciation week, but also manage to find the time to deliver a hand-made gift. These are also the moms who would never pay school tuition late, always remember to turn in necessary forms on time, and pack super nutritious lunches which their children actually eat.
For birthdays, whether they be for a child or adult, a gift from us is usually bought the day or morning before the party and stuffed into a bag we have lying around the house with our name scribbled on the front so they know who it's from. I am not the mom who has thought several weeks in advance of the birthday and has special-ordered a personalized gift to be wrapped in cute paper and then has a custom-made name tag attached with their child's name on it.
These thoughts have been running through my head lately and it seems like the more I think about them, the worse I get with trying to be better at these things. One such evening occurred this past weekend. Josh and I went out to dinner with the girls to Genghis Grill. I packed the diaper bag with everything I thought we could possibly need for Breckin. I even mixed her formula bottle and thickened it in the car while we were stuck in traffic, and sat in the back seat to give it to her while she was in her car seat. I thought, I'll get a head start on feeding and will be able to actually sit down and enjoy my meal once we get to the restaurant.
Well, of course things don't ever go as planned in our life. I finished giving her the bottle shortly after we sat down and began to get everything ready to feed her through her feeding tube. I thought I had the tube attached correctly, and it wasn't until the first few pours of formula, that I realized everything was soaking wet! The milk was not going into her belly, but all over her and the car seat. Meanwhile, Harper was sitting next to me bouncing up and down in the seat and trying to get me to help her with a maze she was trying to do on her kids' menu. Josh had already gotten his food so he was eating and trying to get Harper to settle down.
A few minutes into this chaos, an older gentleman walked over to our table and was commenting on how beautiful our daughters were. He then began to tell us that the only moment we have guaranteed is the moment we are in right now. He said we are not promised tomorrow, so we need to cherish the time we have. He told us his children are grown now, but it seems like yesterday that they were little like ours. The man then asked us if he could sing us a song. It seemed a little strange sitting in a loud public place for an old man to serenade us, but sing he did. He sang us a Bill Gaither song called "We Have This Moment Today" and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. The song echoed the words that he was just telling us.
After he left, I began to look at our dinner time a little differently. I was happy to show Harper how to get through her maze, and found the feeding situation with Breckin quite humorous. After we finished eating, the man, who we came to learn was named Walter, came back to our table once more. He asked us to tell him a little about Breckin's health problems. After giving him the short version, he asked if he could pray for her. He laid hands on our sweet baby and prayed for her healing in the name of God. He told us to never give up on her and to continue to pray for her healing and filling her with positive words. He told us that God has given these children to us as a gift and that we are also a gift to them. He said to always tell these girls how beautiful they are. As he left for the final time, he told us that this would be one of those moments in our life that we would never forget. He was right about that.
Since this meeting with Walter, I have worried less about what the other mothers around me are doing. I have concentrated on enjoying each moment with my children. If that means the house isn't clean, a perfect, well-blanced dinner isn't cooked, or my three-year-old's outfit doesn't match, then that's okay. I do admit that my life could use more organization, and that is something I am working on. God does want us to live orderly lives, and I think with a little extra organization and planning in my life, I can get a little closer to achieving that.
I give major props to moms who can do it all, but I hope they realize that it's okay if everything is not perfect. Enjoy these beautiful babies that God has given to you, and take your job as a mommy seriously. Walter was right; we are not guaranteed tomorrow, so make the most of the moment you have right now. Teach these children the important things in life: to love others no matter how different they are, and most importantly to love Jesus who loves your children more than you ever can!
~B
A few minutes into this chaos, an older gentleman walked over to our table and was commenting on how beautiful our daughters were. He then began to tell us that the only moment we have guaranteed is the moment we are in right now. He said we are not promised tomorrow, so we need to cherish the time we have. He told us his children are grown now, but it seems like yesterday that they were little like ours. The man then asked us if he could sing us a song. It seemed a little strange sitting in a loud public place for an old man to serenade us, but sing he did. He sang us a Bill Gaither song called "We Have This Moment Today" and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. The song echoed the words that he was just telling us.
After he left, I began to look at our dinner time a little differently. I was happy to show Harper how to get through her maze, and found the feeding situation with Breckin quite humorous. After we finished eating, the man, who we came to learn was named Walter, came back to our table once more. He asked us to tell him a little about Breckin's health problems. After giving him the short version, he asked if he could pray for her. He laid hands on our sweet baby and prayed for her healing in the name of God. He told us to never give up on her and to continue to pray for her healing and filling her with positive words. He told us that God has given these children to us as a gift and that we are also a gift to them. He said to always tell these girls how beautiful they are. As he left for the final time, he told us that this would be one of those moments in our life that we would never forget. He was right about that.
Since this meeting with Walter, I have worried less about what the other mothers around me are doing. I have concentrated on enjoying each moment with my children. If that means the house isn't clean, a perfect, well-blanced dinner isn't cooked, or my three-year-old's outfit doesn't match, then that's okay. I do admit that my life could use more organization, and that is something I am working on. God does want us to live orderly lives, and I think with a little extra organization and planning in my life, I can get a little closer to achieving that.
I give major props to moms who can do it all, but I hope they realize that it's okay if everything is not perfect. Enjoy these beautiful babies that God has given to you, and take your job as a mommy seriously. Walter was right; we are not guaranteed tomorrow, so make the most of the moment you have right now. Teach these children the important things in life: to love others no matter how different they are, and most importantly to love Jesus who loves your children more than you ever can!
~B
My sweet girls
My attempt to start the organization process
