Skip to main content

Too Fast

Last night all my kids were down and quiet by 8pm! I had cleaned the house Friday afternoon, and we were all gone the whole day on Saturday, so the house had stayed clean. There was only a small pile of laundry, we were caught up on our TV show, I didn't have any events to plan, he didn't have any worship sets to put together, no one was coming over, and neither of us were going anywhere. My husband and I wandered around our house a bit... not sure what to do with ourselves!

Then I remembered something: I used to scrapbook! A little bit in shock, I pulled out some dusty stacks of photos and paper, stamps and ribbons, and spread them over the kitchen table. ((Do I remember how to do this??)) I glued some things down on an album I started a year or so ago, and then began to thumb though some old photos.

Boy... the time has gone fast. As I flipped through the photos in my box, in backward chronological order, I watched as my kids' cheeks got chubbier... their legs got shorter, their elbow dimples reappeared, their baby wispy hair came back, my face got younger, life got simpler. I kept flipping... before Ruby was born, before Evelyn was born, back to the beginning of my sons' inseparable, competitive relationship, then before Henry was born, and then I really slowed down. I reached the section of photos that were taken when my oldest was little. That was such a golden, amazing first year of Mommyhood. Every day was filled with one-on-one time, as I discovered the waves of falling deeper and deeper in love with my offspring.

I snatched up several bundles of pictures, and plopped on the couch next to my husband, "Wanna walk down memory lane?..."


Jonathan and I on the beach in San Francisco (I was pregnant with Henry) Summer 2009

April 2010, little blonde Henry :)

Baby giggles from Henry, April 2010

Jonathan helping 4-day-old Henry with his binkie September 2009

and the boys' relationship begins! April 2010

Jonathan and Daddy December 2009

Mutually, after an hour of reminiscing, we reached a conclusion: Really, truly, the years are going too fast. I don't remember most of the struggles that happened between each beautiful, happy photo.

It was such a beautiful (in a strange, sad way?) experience. Those photos deeply reminded me that it does, indeed, go fast. Peeking back at the beginning of it all refilled my love-well to overflowing... I paused a little longer that night, when kissing each sleeping little forehead before ending my day.

Slow down, little ones... don't grow up too fast.







P.s. The above photos from April 2010 (and many others, on other posts) were taken by a very dear friend of mine... Caitlin Hooper. Look her up! http://ckp.showitsite.com/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Small Victory

I have a small victory to share with you:  Let me give some context... I blogged about the loss of children recently, verbally stomping my feet and telling the enemy that I will have no more of it- and that I have chosen my side and refuse to budge. The children God has given me "on loan" are all so different... Jonathan was an easy baby, and is currently a whirl-wind 3 1/2 yr old- he is FULL of energy, curiosity, music, rythm, he is friendly, relational, deep (yes, deep!), always thinking, processing, talking... He knows about God and that Jesus is real, and he knows that his baby sister Evelyn is safe with Jesus. Henry was a difficult baby, and is an easy 2 yr-old!  He adores his  brother and wants to be where he is, he gives AMAZING hugs, likes to be held, likes books, connects quickly with people, is caring, noisy, talkative, fast... and still has his innocence. He likes to pray. Evelyn has changed my life more than anything. Her body was tiny, but her exis...

Pendulum

Boy, where do I start this time? I think I will just be sporadic, with excerpts from an email to dear friends, and some thoughts I want to write about while they are fresh. This post may not be for the faint of heart... grab a cup of tea before reading on. I woke up at 6 this morning to some bleeding (not much, but definitely enough to know it was blood). I felt a trickle as I woke up, and more as I stood. I used the toilet and confirmed what I felt. I sat in the bathroom and breathed out loud, "okay..." My head and my heart began to race. We already had scheduled the Dr.'s first appointment of the day, so I got in the shower to pray, cry, and prepare for the day. I prayed that God would walk closely with me. I prayed that God would receive Evelyn with sweet music and roses. I told God how afraid I was of the coming hours, and most fervently I prayed that God would prepare my husband to hear of my bleeding (he was still asleep). After my shower I told Josh, and t...

The Snag

  Are you tired of hearing about sickness yet?      Seems like a swirl of illness has been making its way through all the pods of community around us. Despite all our elderberry and all the home remedies this grow-your-own geek Mama could muster, the germs entered our household too.    The big ones were down first, a sister shortly after. Then the Little Bear, and Papa Bear. One sister and I escaped, and eventually even the combination of our introverted selves and a can't-go-anywhere week finally gave way to some restlessness. She began begging to be dropped off at a friend's house, and I think I inwardly begged the same- ha!    I hadn't quite counted the cost of it all. The week wrapped up, and the nights settled, but the sour and the "hey Mama"s continued. All of a sudden my heart began to resist. The quiet, restful days had been nice for a little while. I got some projects done that I don't have time for during full-swing school at the table. ...