I usually go about my day flying by the seat of my pants, trying to keep up with the demands of running a household and raising five children. My mental "To-Do list" usually consists of laundry, washing dishes, running errands, making dinner, helping kids with homework, etc. I could compare my self to the energizer bunny, I just keep going and going and going. But today I stopped. I realized that my To-Do list is poorly prioritized. Yes the laundry needs to be done, the kids need to be fed, and at some point it would be nice to see what the counters would look like without all of the clutter. But those things don't matter when you think about how fast our children grow up. The time we get to spend with them is precious and in some cases fleeting.
Sunday afternoon Gabe and I received heart breaking news that his friend and co-worker suffered a tragic loss. His 18 month old daughter was accidentally ran over when she jumped out of her hiding spot, in front of the truck her mother was pulling into their garage. Gabe's friend witnessed the entire event, unable to reach his daughter in time to save her. I can't begin to imagine the pain and grief they must be feeling. I wish I could always keep my children safe and protected from harms way. Learning of this tragedy has made me contemplate my own life and the role I play in the lives of my children.
I remember as a child I loved playing tag with my siblings. Before each game began, we would designate a 'safety' spot where we could rest from running and find protection from the chaser. Now that I am 'grown up' I still feel like I am playing a game of tag, but as a mother my role is different. I am not running trying to catch others, nor am I being chased.
I am the safety. I get to be the 'couch' that my children jump on when they need a safe haven from the chasers. I would love to be able to keep my children safe from making mistakes and safe from the hardships and tragedies that life can bring. But that is not how it works. My role is to provide comfort when they experience pain; to help them learn from the mistakes they will make; and to provide a safe and supportive environment for them to learn and grow.
Today the number one thing on my 'To-Do list' is to hug my kids tight, tell them I love them, and thank the Lord for the opportunity I have to be their mother.
Hayden's birthday is the day before Halloween so this year we did a Haunted House for his party. We set it up in our garage and I started putting it together 3 days before the party, but I should have started a week earlier. We went all out and made dividers for the course, using boards and hanging tarps. I bought plastic table clothes from the Dollar store to use for covering up walls and section dividers. Gabe had the idea to make fake bodies, wrap them in plastic sheets, and attach them to the wall. The three things we found most useful for putting up the decorations were zip ties, a staple gun and ladders. A neighbor lent me most of the decorations, and the rest I bought at the Dollar store.
