The Gift...

To all the cool moms and aunts

out there,

this one is for you!

To those who sacrificed a clean floor
for toothless smiles,
finished laundry for
contagious giggles
and rainy indoor days
for zainy outdoor memories.....

Thank you!!!



It is because of you that some of us
have grown up holding experiences
and relationships
more precious than possessions.



It is through your willingness
to let us express our creativity
that we now feel free to be creative.



We know we left marks on your walls
and mud on your floor,
but you left much more indelible impressions
on our hearts.



Things like laughter, acceptance,
freedom, love, joy,
discernment between what is a big thing
and what is a small thing.
You gave us memories that we cling to
even today as we watch our own kids grow.

You put within our hearts

a longing to give our children

the same gift you gave us.

Permission to be a kid.

to get dirty,

to laugh until we couldn't breath,

to build tents in living rooms that you

just straightend up,

to paint pinecones

and picture frames

to jump in mud puddles

and in piles of leaves

to roast marshmellows,

carve our initials in trees

and hunt for aliens in the backyard.

I know I've said it before

but it is such a blessing to get to know

these kids!

Nylah and Emerson are my cousin Leah's children.

Being with them has filled my summer with nostalgia.

Watching them run through the same

enchanted woods that their mother and I ran through

is a gift beyond words.

This summer I have discovered that

I have the opportunity to

be what I longed for.

I have the chance to create bonds between

my kids and their cousins

just like the precious bonds that were

fostered during my childhood.
And the best part is that I'm sure

I'm getting the greater reward!

Not only do I get to rest in the comfort of the past,

but I get to experience the discovery of the present!

And that, my friends,

beats a squeaky clean house

and perfectly folded laundry

any day!