May 21, 2013
Dear God...
Number 5 just came to me and said: "Mommy, I prayed when I was in the potty. I Said 'Dear God, please help the kids to come home from school soon' oh and I said 'Amen' cause I was done"
May 12, 2013
Sharing
Today is Mothers Day. Mothers Day. For most today marks fun times with children or a dear mother.
Today, much like years past I felt myself sharing. Sharing the day. Sharing the day with 4 other "mothers". As I listened to a chorus of 5 voices saying "Happy Mothers Day" and one sweet Little chicken getting mixed up and saying "Happy Birthday!!" I let my mind wander. As I ate my breakfast in bed with 6 chickens all sprawled out around me I let my mind wander. As I sat in church with four chickens looking all grown up I let my mind wander. As I walked tonight with two almost grown chickens I let my mind wander.
I wander to thoughts of mothers who have lost, lost the ability to see smiling faces in the morning, wishing them a Happy Mothers Day. Maybe even one tiny face messing up and saying Happy Birthday. Thoughts of mothers who have lost the ability to eat breakfast in bed with children sprawled on their bed. Mothers who don't get to marvel about where the time has gone as they look at their children looking all grown up in the pew next to them. I wander to thoughts of how four woman are spending their day. Four woman who have had their children taken from them. Four woman who sacrifice their "Mothers Days". Four woman who don't have their children to spoil them...because they are spoiling me.
I am continually in awe of Gods ability to make something far more glorious than we could ever imagine out of the filth we give Him. I have seen it time and time again in my own sin He takes the mess and gives back something glorious, when my heart is repentant and returned to His. I often wander back to this simple truth when I look at my chickens, and especially on certain days, birthdays, Christmas, Mothers Day. Mothers Day.
I cant help think as I am surrounded by children and my heart is full to bursting just how these woman must be feeling on this day of all days. I cant help but thank God for the gift of caring for these tender lives. And I cant help thanking these four woman for bringing these five precious little lives into this world for me to raise.
My heart breaks as I think what their hearts are going through tonight. My heart hurts for their loss. But my heart is so very full as I think about a God who cared enough for me to bring these amazing chickens into my life. A God who truly makes beauty out of garbage. And I am once again thankful that four woman share a very special day with me. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!
Today, much like years past I felt myself sharing. Sharing the day. Sharing the day with 4 other "mothers". As I listened to a chorus of 5 voices saying "Happy Mothers Day" and one sweet Little chicken getting mixed up and saying "Happy Birthday!!" I let my mind wander. As I ate my breakfast in bed with 6 chickens all sprawled out around me I let my mind wander. As I sat in church with four chickens looking all grown up I let my mind wander. As I walked tonight with two almost grown chickens I let my mind wander.
I wander to thoughts of mothers who have lost, lost the ability to see smiling faces in the morning, wishing them a Happy Mothers Day. Maybe even one tiny face messing up and saying Happy Birthday. Thoughts of mothers who have lost the ability to eat breakfast in bed with children sprawled on their bed. Mothers who don't get to marvel about where the time has gone as they look at their children looking all grown up in the pew next to them. I wander to thoughts of how four woman are spending their day. Four woman who have had their children taken from them. Four woman who sacrifice their "Mothers Days". Four woman who don't have their children to spoil them...because they are spoiling me.
I am continually in awe of Gods ability to make something far more glorious than we could ever imagine out of the filth we give Him. I have seen it time and time again in my own sin He takes the mess and gives back something glorious, when my heart is repentant and returned to His. I often wander back to this simple truth when I look at my chickens, and especially on certain days, birthdays, Christmas, Mothers Day. Mothers Day.
I cant help think as I am surrounded by children and my heart is full to bursting just how these woman must be feeling on this day of all days. I cant help but thank God for the gift of caring for these tender lives. And I cant help thanking these four woman for bringing these five precious little lives into this world for me to raise.
My heart breaks as I think what their hearts are going through tonight. My heart hurts for their loss. But my heart is so very full as I think about a God who cared enough for me to bring these amazing chickens into my life. A God who truly makes beauty out of garbage. And I am once again thankful that four woman share a very special day with me. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!
May 8, 2013
Boys
It all started one summer day a few years ago when I looked out my living room window to see my then 5 year old chicken flying through the air. I took a deep breath and decided to investigate further before making my presence known. What I saw next sent shivers down my spine, Michael (5) was standing on a old telephone wire spool in the "ready" position, Justin just a few feet from him was sitting on the ground holding a sapling tree top on the ground with his hands, just as I became aware of what was about to happen Michael jumps and Justin lets go and SMACK!! The tree hits Michael and he goes flying through the air, hits the ground about 10 feet away, stands up, shakes it off, laughs and climbs back on the spool!! I quickly run outside and tell the boys in my calmest mommy voice I could muster "Please do not do those types of things in front of the living room window." They both stare at me blankly and I state "I know you are boys, I know you are going to do and have done many unsafe things, I just really don't want to witness it first hand, thank you" They promptly turned the spool on its side and rolled it into the woods before their crazy mom could come to her senses.
That day was not the first I have witnessed boys being, well, boys. In my almost 10 years of rearing boys I have witnessed one or more of my boys:
~Riding bikes into trees purposely.
~Jumping onto a 6 month old.
~"flying" kittens.
~"sledding" down stairs in laundry baskets.
~Dead frogs, skewered (and yes one of my boys knew how to help his poor momma spell that word) turkeys, pockets full of worms, dirt, rocks, and a slimy concoction that I don't even want to know what its origins were.
~ Zip-lining into cement with only a boy holding the other end.
~Shooting arrows at each other
~Locking a boy into a garbage can and rolling him around the yard.
~"flying" brothers.
~Climbing a tree at 3 years of age and getting stuck 30 feet up.
~Jumping off the shed roof
~Jousting
~trying to give each other "shoots" with sharpened shards of wood.
~a 4 year old boy's thumb being crushed.
~ Sandwiching a younger brother in between two mattresses.
~playing dodge-ball with baseballs.
and I have come to one simple conclusion...Don't ask. Don't ask what they are going to do. Don't ask if there are sharp objects involved. Don't ask who is planning on breaking a bone. Don't ask who will be gushing blood. Don't ask why they need the first aid kit. Don't ask how the stick got impaled in their leg. Don't ask just how they managed to get a black eye when all they said they were gonna do is play Frisbee. Don't ask.
That day was not the first I have witnessed boys being, well, boys. In my almost 10 years of rearing boys I have witnessed one or more of my boys:
~Riding bikes into trees purposely.
~Jumping onto a 6 month old.
~"flying" kittens.
~"sledding" down stairs in laundry baskets.
~Dead frogs, skewered (and yes one of my boys knew how to help his poor momma spell that word) turkeys, pockets full of worms, dirt, rocks, and a slimy concoction that I don't even want to know what its origins were.
~ Zip-lining into cement with only a boy holding the other end.
~Shooting arrows at each other
~Locking a boy into a garbage can and rolling him around the yard.
~"flying" brothers.
~Climbing a tree at 3 years of age and getting stuck 30 feet up.
~Jumping off the shed roof
~Jousting
~trying to give each other "shoots" with sharpened shards of wood.
~a 4 year old boy's thumb being crushed.
~ Sandwiching a younger brother in between two mattresses.
~playing dodge-ball with baseballs.
and I have come to one simple conclusion...Don't ask. Don't ask what they are going to do. Don't ask if there are sharp objects involved. Don't ask who is planning on breaking a bone. Don't ask who will be gushing blood. Don't ask why they need the first aid kit. Don't ask how the stick got impaled in their leg. Don't ask just how they managed to get a black eye when all they said they were gonna do is play Frisbee. Don't ask.