I Should Have Known
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 10:20PM Michaela and Christian went outside late this afternoon to help their dad cut the grass. Not that we have mini-mowers; they love to be out and they love to be with him...so they determined to find something useful to do in our front yard.
Before he began mowing, all three of them went around the yard picking up large sticks that had fallen during all of the big rains that we've had recently; they also worked to remove the large mushrooms that insist on growing in our yard. I won't mention what else they found on the mushrooms, but I will say that it is related to a very recent and gross post. As long as they stay outside, and off my kids' shoes (or my kids in general!), I will be okay.
They also lent themselves to pulling and digging up weeds, which they have loved to do for a long time. This works out well, since we always have a plethora of weeds which need to be dug up.
Now, some of those folks who read this know how crazy I am that I am overly worried when it comes to germs, particularly germs that come from outside. (The germs in our house, and in our car...well, they're ours. So they don't count. Unless you're my mom, then they do, particularly the ones in our car.) I do, however, manage to let my kids play outside; when they come in, they go straight into the detoxification module bathtub and everyone stays happy. Today, shortly after I heard Mike through the front windows (I was standing there with Eliana while she watched everyone else outside) telling Michaela to get up out of the grass because of the things-I-will-not-mention-that-were-on-the-mushrooms, that very same Michaela burst through the front door and ran into the back of the house. I thought maybe she had to go to the bathroom-it seemed so urgent. I called after her, and I admit it, I was freaking out on the inside because of whatever yucky stuff she may have brought in with her grassy, fungus pants (shoes get left by the front door-ALWAYS...I'm sure you're surprised); I had to ask her what she was up to.
Her reply? "It's a secret!"
I pressed,"What is it?"
She yelled,"I'm writing a note!"
She came out of our schoolroom with a pen in her hand; I, of course, said,"You didn't even wash your hands!" She looked exasperated, rightly so, and told me it wouldn't take long. Then she tilted her head to one side, sucked in her cheeks a little, and raised her eyebrows, as if to say,"Are you really going to make me get in the bath already? I'm just writing a note, you moron."
I left her alone to do whatever secret thing she was doing.
She ran back outside after a couple of minutes and a bit later I poked my head out the door to tell them they needed to come in to bathe and get ready for dinner. She asked me if I had gone into the schoolroom; I said that I hadn't but told her I would. I left them out there for a bit longer, and went to check out the secret.
First, there was this...
And below it was this...
Inside was a note...
"This is for you, Mom. We picked it out front. Christian and Michaela For your thirty-fifth Birthday."
This is where my children's hearts lie. They see beauty in everything and they want to share it. How I long for eyes that were as seeing as theirs.
In spite of all the ways I am different from other moms (and they notice) they love me and long to show me that they do. It is humbling...I learn so much from them. That is an irony of parenting; often, I find that in their innocence and inexperience lies a great deal of genuine, sweet love-of life, of others, of the world around them. It's something that I have lost, but get to participate in through them. And this is a moment that I must go back to on those hard days, during the times when I think that I don't get paid enough for this job (or at all); I must remind myself that I do, in fact, get paid. I get paid in weeds, and in love. What could be more valuable than that?
life together, siblings
Reader Comments (5)
Your children have giving hearts that appreciate beauty because YOU have a heart that teaches them that. Also, you are a thankful person.
The good stuff rubs off too y'know.
That is so sweet. You are so loved.
i love this. your children are dears. so sweet.
and YOU are too!
thanks for sharing!
You get paid in weeds. Ah! I love it! So so sweet.
Elle
That is adorable! What tender hearts. And, of course they love their wonderful mama. I'm sure it is your very uniqueness that makes you so special to them and so many others.
And maybe if I were a little more militant about germs my whole household wouldn't be sick right now!!