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...

Thank You

Thank you for walking alongside us, and for deeply crying out to God on our behalf. Tonight Josh and I held eachother with shaking arms, unable to breathe in our pain, with hot tears and groanings, deeper than we ever have. God is walking closely with us, teaching us, holding us. Thank you for being part of that. I can still feel little Evelyn Rose, she is still alive and moving- a continued miracle. As I sat down to pass on a little of this to some of you, here in the wee hours of the morning... in my husband's big sweatshirt, still wiping tears and snot on his sleeves (hope he doesn't mind... I'll just wash this sweatshirt before I give it back to him :) ), I had a photo file open on my desktop. I saw sweet little faces. Sweet, perfect little faces. What a joy and a privilege to raise two wild, wonderful boys. They are turning into such buddies, learning to appreciate eachother and play together instead of fighting, pushing, crying. They are innocent, energetic, curiou...

Beautiful Redemption

This weekend I tasted sweet, sweet intentional redemption from our Father... Last year I went to Women of Faith with my mom and her church. I went expecting to release the last of my sorrow over losing Evelyn. The band Selah was there, and they represent a lot of what happened in my heart while I carried Evelyn. Last year I sat in the front row of our suite with empty arms, bracing myself for the wave of pain I knew I would feel when Selah came onto the stage. The wave came crashing, and my mom wept silently with me over the daughter I will not see again on earth. It tasted bitter, but as I drank in the music, my heart healed a little more. This year as Women of Faith started, the very first song was embellished by petite ballerinas, dancing sweetly and elegantly for their Father. I sat in the front row again, this time with my arms warm with a beautiful little girl that God has loaned to me. This year the wave that hit me was actually more like a whisper (isn't it incredible h...