Today was one of those great days in which everywhere I turned, every little detail held a moment of profound thankfulness for me.
We have a "way" around here: I take 15-20 minutes...o.k....30 minutes...of "break time" before lunch, in which I prepare and eat my own as fast as I can so that I can then sit with the girls and read aloud to them for an hour while they eat and color. During my break, they have what we call "Sister Mentor Time" when Fifi takes the girls into the playroom or outside to engage them in a game or a story or some imaginative play. It's the law that unless someone is bleeding or throwing up, they leave Mommy alone during "break time." For the good of everyone.
During today's break time, I needed Fifi to do a few left over chores for me. There was some exhorting (lecturing) and encouraging (imploring) that ended with her sweetly and apologetically heading up the stairs with a basket of laundry to my, "I just need more help from you girls!"
No sooner did I have my kitchen to myself again than Cuddlebug broke the law and pattered out from behind the closed door of the playroom to where I was. I sighed my mild irritation and asked, "What are you doing out here?"
She replied with an incoherent jumble of words because she likes to speak without moving her lips, if possible.
"Hmmm? Please speak more clearly."
And then, my littlest and most studious apprentice -- my affectionate little Cuddlebug, looked at me, smiled shyly and said, "I heard you say you needed help."
*gulp*
If that wasn't enough, I'm sure I scared her half to death by dropping to my knees, hugging the stuffing out of her and failing miserably to hold back the tears of joy and humility.
Pure, unconditional love. And someday I hope I'll possess the grace to be able to reciprocate.
6 comments:
Oh! Welling up with tears myself. HOW sweet!
Thank you for sharing this!
I am so glad I added you to my bloglines.
In Christ alone,
Kari
Healed Waters: homeschoolblogger.com/ADDMama
blog team, ChristianWomenOnline.net
Ohhh. Don't you just hate/love it when that happens!
LOL...we have "quiet time" here in the afternoons as my break. Isn't it amazing when you are humbled from the knees?
Isn't it great how our children keep us humble. I believe that is why God gives them to us, well, that of course is not the only reason. Thanks for sharing the story.
Don't you just love/hate it when that happens?
By the way, I love your idea of eating first so that you can read to the kids. I think I'm going to try that out myself!
I do that same thing but at breakfast. Reading to them, while they color. (Right now we're doing a Bible story with a corresponding picture) With my boys, that is when I have their best most controlled attention. (first thing in the morning) And the baby is confined in his booster seat as well. :-)
Maybe at some point I'll be able to do that at lunch too.
Post a Comment