Momma's Day

Construction paper cards. Cut out shapes. Lightning McQueen colorings. Little hands were busy Sunday morning creating homemade gifts for me. My cup runs over when I look at the images below. Our quiver really is filling up. There were many Mothers' Days where my arms were empty along with my heart, but now, I can hardly gather up my three dear children in one space for a quick photo. It may look easy, but 61 images later, we got one! Never mind the grandparents doing cartwheels, playing peek-a-boo and clucking like chickens behind Eric the whole time. It takes a village, people....it takes a village!

After a scrumptious lunch of grilled shrimp and scallops with noodles and veggies, made by Mr. Martin, we opened up the sandbox for the first time of the season and watched the sand flying, digger digging, and bare feet get buried. Happy shrieks of joy could be heard from our back yard. The beach just came to us! Who needs to drive three hours to find it when you can have your own  little four by four pad?

So, as I relaxed with my husband and watched our happy offspring playing, I reflected on the great joy it is to have the title of Mommy in my household. In this season of life there are six little feet running around me non-stop. Two out of three kids still wearing diapers. Sigh. One with training wheels on his bike. One that is sure he's ready for a dirt bike. One that climbs the playhouse ladder like she's four years old instead of 20 months old. That one also still needs to sleep with her nuk...or else! The three year old is as stubborn as a mule. The six year old is reading books, writing full sentences and earning his own money for helping out with daily chores. And the littlest little is beginning to chatter up a storm and wants desperately to keep up with her big brothers.

To say that life is uneventful would be the furthest thing from the truth. Most nights when my head finds my pillow, I am sleeping in about five seconds. They wear me out. Truth be told, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so thankful that the LORD has given me such amazing children. Do I have that perspective all day every day in the midst of the chaos? Absolutely not. But His grace is sufficient for me, and for them. Will I fail in certain areas? Yup, done that a million times already. Does my fleshly need for order and perfection get tested? Daily. I'm learning how to let go of the things that don't really matter. Learning, folks...learning. But the bottom line is that I was assigned to be their momma and they were assigned to be my children and there is no transferring.

They are my hope fulfilled. They are my eternal investments. They are my babies...forever.

I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be