Monday, January 26, 2009

The chapter is closing...

My twins have turned six!
SIX!
My babies are starting Grade one! I feel like a whole chapter of my life has come to an end. Gone are the days when I had four small children under the age of 4! Now I just have 4 children aged 6, 8 and 9...doesn't sound anywhere near as impressive .
Gone are the days when I nursed them in the wee small hours to sleep. Now I just guide them to the toilet and back to bed, or quiet their fears of scary things in the dark of the night with a cuddle and a kiss and a "just climb into bed with me for a while" (at least until my arm goes numb and I rouse myself enough to guide them back to their own bed). Gone are those moments when I wore their food as they discovered new textures and flavours. Gone are the times when we coaxed them to smile, to giggle, to wave "Bye Bye", to say "please" or to blow kisses. Gone are the days when I rocked shopping trolleys to sleep and swayed from side to side whilst standing regardless of whether I had a child with me or not. Gone are the days when the "nappy bag" the keeper of all things necessary for every occasion accompanied the family on outings. Now I struggle to carry all the water bottles hats etc, and still get caught out at times with wet children in desperate need of a towel, or a jumper or a wet wipe.... Gone are the days when Playschool dominated the TV, and The Wiggles were cool. Gone are the days when my answers were accepted no question. Gone are the days when we took the twin pram everywhere!!! Gone are the days of all in one pajamas and lazy days spent playing on the floor. Gone are the days when I had them all to myself. My wee ones are now venturing out into the world, starting a new chapter of their lives. Meeting new friends and learning new and exciting things.
And I'll be right beside them initially.
Then I'll be around...
Then there when I'm needed.
A new chapter has begun.
I may not be able to pry the door of their infancy open again, but I can certainly look back in wonder at the moments that defined them.
I pray that this new adventure they are embarking on will be full of excitement and more defining moments. I pray that they will be kept safe from harm. I also thank God for giving me a front row seat, so that I can watch it all unfold.
That reminds me of Erma Bombeck's  "When God Created Mothers"...

When God Created Mothers

When the good Lord was creating mothers He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said, "You’re doing a lot of fiddling around this one."
And the Lord said, "Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; Have 180 moveable parts... all replaceable; Run on black coffee and leftovers; Have a lap that disappears when she stands up; A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair; And six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands... no way."
"It’s not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord. "It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."
"That’s on the standard model?" asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, "What are you kids doing in there?" when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, "I understand and I Love You" without so much as uttering a word."
"Lord", said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, "Come to bed. Tomorrow..."
"I can’t," said the Lord, "I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower."
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It’s too soft," she sighed.
"But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure."
"Can it think?"
"Not only think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator.
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There’s a leak," she pronounced. "I told You. You were trying to put too much into this model."
"It’s not a leak," said the Lord, "it’s a tear."
"What’s it for?"
"It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."
"You are a genius," said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. "I didn’t put it there."

For all those Mums with little ones starting School this year...remember..
Mothering really does matter!

1 comment:

Cathy said...

That's beautiful...thank-you!