Fingerprints

{sigh}

Hallie and Sam are off to school. The baby is sleeping. The house is quiet. I hear the clock tick...tick...tick....

It has been a wild week, I tell ya.

Rod has been in Guatemala since Sunday. I feel like the baby hasn't slept since Sunday. I am tired.

Last night I had about .4 minutes to myself before there was some sort of need that needed taken care of. In those short minutes I sat down at my kitchen table and just took in a breath or two and a thought came into mind. It was this one:



I thought about this over and over. Especially the last line. Would I really miss this? I looked around my living room floor and saw the baby carseat, a baby swing, a burp cloth. I saw Hallie's pajamas that she had thrown off that morning in her rush to get to school, piano books scattered at the foot of the piano, a Biggest Loser Cookbook at the foot of the couch (reminding me once again that I will never lose this baby weight if I don't get it in gear soon), boxes that had been dropped off by the UPS man, cookie cutters on the table from Sam's afternoon art project, a cereal box still sitting on the counter from breakfast....and then there was me...I hadn't even had a shower.

I mulled that quote over again and again...

Then I remembered a picture I had taken last year. It looks like this.


I'm not sure which child left their mark on my window that day but as I looked around my living room again last night, I could see remnants of their little marks all over. And instead of feeling overwhelmed I felt such gratitude.

Grateful that a baby carseat and swing get to be used within these walls again. For so long I wondered if that opportunity would come my way again.

Grateful that although Hallie leaves her clothes all over the place she is old enough to get up and get ready without me having to prod her along too much. She has been such a great help to me. Especially when I have these weeks of being single mom.

Grateful for those darn piano books because it means my daughter is trying to develop a new talent. Talents build confidence and I want each of my girls to feel that. I want them to learn that practice pays off and that they can do and be whatever they want in life.

And yes, I'm even grateful for my silly Biggest Loser Cookbook because it reminds me that I can control how I take care of this body. It may not be in the best shape but it is healthy. It can move and serve and take care of the needs of my family. It provides nourishment for my baby.

Grateful for those UPS boxes that continually show up on my doorstep each week. They are postmarked from the LDS church and are addressed to Bishop South. These remind me of two things.
1. How blessed I am to have such a great man in my life. He hates me to get sappy on this blog but I married a good, good man. He cares so deeply about our ward. Especially the youth. Especially his "boys". He loves those Young Men and nothing excites him more than phone calls and texts that tell him of newly opened mission calls.

2. These boxes are full of church materials that bless so many lives in my little ward. I am reminded what a blessing it is to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Bishopric calling has been the most challenging calling yet, but in a good way. I really do mean that. I have been humbled in ways I never dreamed as I have played a small part in helping Rod serve.

I am grateful for the mess of cookie cutters from Samantha. If I keep enough art supplies on that table of ours, she can entertain herself while I feed Alivia, fold laundry, make lunches, etc. My favorite moments this week were as I was feeding the baby, Sam would tip toe in my room and hand me homemade Valentines. She has learned to write my name and she writes it on all notes addressed to me. Makes me smile.


I am grateful for that cereal box on my counter because as silly as it sounds, that cereal was given to me from someone who loves me so much (my MIL). Boy does she ever take care of me when her son is gone. I hesitate taking Alivia out much in this crazy weather and grocery shopping is always an "adventure" with kids. Sweet Grandma Ellie did all my grocery shopping this week.

So yes President Monson, although I won't miss not showering daily, these are good, good days...

and I do believe I will miss them...

perhaps even profoundly.