Friday, June 24, 2022

Five Minute Friday: Guess

 This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This (last's) week’s prompt is: Guess.  

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I love surprises. Big. Small. Medium.  I don't care.  As long as I don't see it coming.

One of my favorite things about being a momma is the gifts that my kids get for me.  Jeff and I always let the kids choose.  More often than not, the gifts end up being something for the "family" ie, a game the big kids really want.  Over the years we have been given board games, kites, bubbles, a whole slew of Unicorn gifts, and of course the #1 Mom mug.  Jeff has gotten "a shirt with our faces on it so he can take us to work".

However, this Mother's Day, there was no way I was going to guess this gift.


That's right, an inflatable unicorn water slide. 

For the first few weeks we had it in our front room.  The twins loved it because we filled it with their balls and they can slide into them, which lets me get a little bit of work done.  






Last week, Jeff finally put it outside and filled it with water.  





Needless to say, the ridiculousness actually turned into the perfect gift.  Getting to watch my kids play carefree in our yard. 

Friday, June 17, 2022

Five Minute Friday: STIR

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This (last's) week’s prompt is: STIR.  

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I sent my 9 year old to VBS for the first time since the pandemic.  We have been doing virtual church for almost two years, with the exception of the day we dedicated the babies in person, so it was a big deal for him to go 'inside' church.  

He was so excited to go, especially since it was for kids in 1st-5th grade.  In his words, "I just need a little break from all the girls"... I can't blame the guy.

Well, today was Day 4 of VBS.  If you run in Southern Baptist circles, you know what that means: Decision Day. It's the day where the leadership presents the Gospel and has counselors around the room to walk kids through asking Jesus into their hearts. 

At pickup time, Jude got into the car and said, "Momma, I made a decision today!" Immediate tears welled up in my eyes.  I texted Jeff to get to his office and we sat in his parking lot to tell him the news, with the girls screaming in the back. 

We knew this day was coming.  We've known for a long time.  He has been so close.  Our conversations have gotten deeper.  He "knows" all of the answers to our questions.  He has sat through countless sermons and Hope House lessons, and has had plenty of opportunities to make it real to him, but today was his day.  It was no ones decision but his.  




Exactly 9 years and 8 months since he came into this world.  6/16/22.  The day my son became my brother. 

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Five Minute Friday: DANGER

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday series. Five minutes of free-flow writing shared with whoever wants to read it. This week’s prompt is: DANGER.  

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Ellie is right there.  
Sitting next to me while I'm on a work call.  
She's as content as could be, reaching for a snack at the table.  
As I turn my eyes back to my computer, she stands up, turns around, and flips her chair.  
On the way down she is launched headfirst into the wall, and lands, right on her ribs on the metal rod on the back of the chair.  
Her tummy immediately bruised as did the goose egg on her forehead.  
A simple slip.  
An accident.  
A trip to the ER.  
A small concussion, but no internal injuries.  
It could have been so much worse, but we were spared.  




A few weeks earlier, it was Lucy.  Not nearly as bad.
I was right there, again, as it happened.
I had my phone out, taking a photo as Ellie was on the table, using a whole bag of tortillas chips to make a snow angel.
She stepped a little too far, trying to join in on the fun and fell head first into the floor.
Another goose egg, but she was fine.




The "shoulda" and "what-ifs" are inevitable after an accident, and these two incidents were no exception.  I felt horrible, but am so grateful my babies were able to rally. 

It's all around us.  
Danger. 
I feel it a lot of times.  Sometimes it feels debilitating.  
However, I am so thankful to be blissfully naïve on most days. 
Danger unaware.  
It helps me breathe.