It's a common conversation among friends... how husbands and wives feel disconnected with little ones and life going at warp speed even at it's most uncomplicated state. I always nod my head and say yes, I understand. And I do. Especially on days like today.
Days like today when he picks me up the moment he gets home and we drive to pick up my car that has been in the shop all day. And then we realize only when we get home that the car actually hasn't passed inspection even though the guy at the car place said it did... all thanks to the big R on the sticker. So he has to run back to the shop, while I start dinner, and grammy and the kids set the table in the background. Placements of every color, squabbles over who gets the purple one. The onions spill onto the counter instead of into the pan, where the butter and oil sizzles in wait. The dishes pile up, and how in the world can an easy five ingredient dinner create a sink full of dishes in a matter of five minutes? He comes home only to say that we have to drive the car around, there really isn't anything wrong, but the work they had to do makes the emissions test go wonky so we have to go back on Saturday to have part of the inspection redone...
Blessings. These are blessings.
Sometimes they seem like such a burden. And then we look up and wonder how we got here. And who are we? With the kids and the cars and the job and the laundry.
He's taking them up to bed, and I turn with my dishtowel in hand and yell up the stairs...
"I got the new Mumford and Sons on Spotify. And it's really good."
He smiles down at me. "Yeah, I downloaded it too."
Bedtime commences. Snuggles and kisses goodnight and don't let the bedbugs bite and don't bite them back...
There was a glimpse. We are still here, connecting in the moments that we are given. Holding onto pieces of who we were and who we still are... even while we hold dishtowels and work phones and kids upside down when that's the only way to get them into bed.
Blessings. These are blessings... to which we hold tight.
But love the one you hold
And I will be your gold
To have and to hold
A lover of the light
~Lover of the Light, Mumford and Sons
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A simple word.
A picture.
A poem.
Prose.
List.
A simple word.
A picture.
A poem.
Prose.
List.
LIVE!
To the fullest,
reflect on your blessings.
To the fullest,
reflect on your blessings.
CAPTURE!
each lingering moment,
harvest them and then
share them.
Encourage others.
This is what Bigger Picture Moments is all about.
each lingering moment,
harvest them and then
share them.
Encourage others.
This is what Bigger Picture Moments is all about.
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Oh yes...I could have written these words myself. My husband and I were just talking about how we rush from wake up to bed time every day with barely a moment to remember there is still US. We finally sat down together after the kids were in bed, for just a few moments to pray together. And isn't that what life is like sometimes - capturing those little moments in the midst of all the running and rushing of life?
ReplyDeleteOh my ... we ARE in the same place. And we had that exact conversation about Mumford and Sons two nights ago. Seasons, right? It's a season where other things are more vibrantly glowing at the moment, but it will circle back. It will circle back, indeed. Beautifully expressed, Corinne.
ReplyDeleteA sweet glimpse into life. My pastor taught a wonderful lesson on the difference between a burden and our load. The burden being more than we can carry on our own, and the load being the jobs and tasks that come into each life in the just getting through the day. It changed my perspective on days like what you describe. They still make me tired, but in that way where you sigh and say it is what it is...and it is mine.
ReplyDeleteI love that, May! Thank you so much for sharing that bit of wisdom... I'll tuck that in and carry it with me.
DeleteWait a minute...am I reading my own blog right now. YES, YES, YES!!!! I think as life whirls around us it gets harder and harder to distinguish the burdens from the blessings. But we are here, living breathing everyday, even if the onions end up on the counter and the car is kaput. We are here LIVING and CONNECTING, and that's all that matters. THANK YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteBeing able to find the blessings sprinkled throughout such a crazy day - that is a blessing in itself. I often forget that there are many blessings to be counted even in the most burdensome days.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, yes, yes. I feel this too. I saw my husband yesterday for less then 10 min. in the morning and fell asleep exhausted before he got home. It's hard and exhausting but it's not permanent, these ARE blessing.
ReplyDeleteAlso I LOVE the new Mumford, and that song.
Finally this :how in the world can an easy five ingredient dinner create a sink full of dishes in a matter of five minutes?" Seriously? It's some evil magic trick because even leftovers can fill a {small} kitchen with dishes in no time flat.
"Holding onto pieces of who we were and who we still are..."
ReplyDelete-- This resonates so much with me right now, and it's nice to see you finding yourself even in those harried moments.
"don't let the bedbugs bite and don't bite them back" - I need to remember this one. It seems like a good mantra to carry through days like today. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteI thought about your post today as we went to the apple orchard for a homeschool group field trip. Richard was home, and no matter that we didn't have to leave until late morning, things got hectic. During the hayride, we had a glance, and one kiss. Then we arrived home to discover that our house was filled with gas because the knob on the stove was turned. Thank goodness it didn't blow up or kill the dog.
ReplyDeleteSimple things end up being overwhelming. But I thought of how they really are blessings. One day I'll remember the trip, the sunshine, the hay ride, his kiss, and know that love is real.
I love this post. I am sitting here frazzled and overwhelmed. Thinking of the homework I have to do, the dishes piled in the sink, the mess of toys strewn all over the living room floor... all of a sudden Jayden walks over and plants a sweet kiss right on my cheek and tells me "I love you mommy!" and my heart melted.
ReplyDeleteI've been feeling really guilty lately. Usually the kids wake us up and they play with my husband until he leaves for work. Once he gets back (usually pretty late), I am spent from the days "adventures." We have really been missing each other. So now, when I pack his lunch every day for work, I try to add a little something extra that I know he will appreciate, so that he knows he is always on my mind. Sometimes it's his favorite soda, or fresh baked cookies, or even a simple "I love you" on a small scrap of paper.
Despite the chaos, you are absolutely right, I am blessed.
I am glad to have found your blog, Corinne! You really capture the sweetness of simple moments. I love this post especially- it captures so well the disconnect we feel with our spouses and yet those brief moments of connection that I often miss. Such truth in one moment!
ReplyDelete