babyhood / LIVING WELL / MOTHERHOOD

note to myself…

…on the day that you slice your thumb open from cuticle towards the knuckle with your rotary cutter; and while applying pressure with a blood-stained paper towel back into a large clay pot and send it crashing to the floor in a mess of soil, green leaves and broken pottery, while the baby cries, and the children bicker….

REMEMBER THESE THINGS:

P1010006

that this little one lays on your chest at bedtime and tucks her head under your chin so snugly that you can feel her eyelashes brushing against your neck. And while you sing the only song she’ll settle down to, she coos and moans in rhythm along with your voice, and lets you rub her head and tuck her hair behind her ear, until her tired eyes finally close in sleep.

P1010055

that almost once a week you get a taste of spring

P1010003

that soon, very soon–you’ll be spreading out. you’ll have more room. you’ll have your own space. you’ll have your own garden. a table big enough to dine with friends and family, all together. a stream to play in. a barn to fill. a place to plant your feet.

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that you have a full plate of projects and swaps. but it is good, creative kind of work. nothing you dread or don’t enjoy. only things that need creative time, not dreaded time.

that you’re healthy and happy. you have a good husband. laughing, creative, gentle children. a warm home. good food on the table. and a close family.

think on these things.

…on the day that you slice your thumb open from cuticle towards the knuckle with your rotary cutter; and while applying pressure with a blood-stained paper towel back into a large clay pot and send it crashing to the floor in a mess of soil, green leaves and broken pottery, while the baby cries, and the children bicker….

REMEMBER THESE THINGS:

P1010006

that this little one lays on your chest at bedtime and tucks her head under your chin so snugly that you can feel her eyelashes brushing against your neck. And while you sing the only song she’ll settle down to, she coos and moans in rhythm along with your voice, and lets you rub her head and tuck her hair behind her ear, until her tired eyes finally close in sleep.

P1010055

that almost once a week you get a taste of spring

P1010003

that soon, very soon–you’ll be spreading out. you’ll have more room. you’ll have your own space. you’ll have your own garden. a table big enough to dine with friends and family, all together. a stream to play in. a barn to fill. a place to plant your feet.

P1010025

that you have a full plate of projects and swaps. but it is good, creative kind of work. nothing you dread or don’t enjoy. only things that need creative time, not dreaded time.

that you’re healthy and happy. you have a good husband. laughing, creative, gentle children. a warm home. good food on the table. and a close family.

think on these things.

31 comments on “note to myself…”

  1. oh! i had one of those moments yesterday. i know just where you’re coming from. two screaming children at the grocery store where there is an incredibly long line and i have forgotten the checkbook? yes. whack my head on the car door trying to wrestle said children into the car, nearly knocking myself out? also yes.

    but the sun is shining today! and my life is really good. and our birdie will only be sung to sleep with that song, too. isn’t that funny? it’s a very special song around here.

    thank you for letting me reflect on the GOOD.

    xo, k

  2. ooh, *so* sorry about your slice – those rotary cutters can be deadly.

    my sweet husband decided to compact our trash with his bare hands a couple weeks ago (brilliant!) and sliced his finger open on a can lid – OUCH – took awhile to heal!

    your list of blessings/reminders is a good one :^) — and good of you to be able to put your mind in that direction while bleeding and tracking through dirt. ;^)

  3. What sweet thoughts…your commens about your baby made me well up…I miss those cuddly baby moments…enjoy every minute because in no time they are all grown up…like my boys.

  4. As someone prone to cooking and cutlery injuries, I feel your (quite literal) pain. I’m glad you have such a wonderful silver lining 🙂

  5. So sorry about your cut. Anything cutting flesh freaks me out. I’ve had a rotary cutter for almost a year and haven’t even opened the package, fearing I’d do just what happened to you. I hope you’re feeling better soon. On a positive note I’m thankful that you’ve done the swaps. We participated in your latest miniswap. My daughter was so thrilled to get her package yesterday. She kept saying “I’m so happy, I’m so happy!” So our thanks to you for organizing this!

  6. Oh dear, that kind of day, huh? Well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. Tristan used to “sing” with me while I rocked him. It’s one of my favorite memories of that time.

  7. oh molly! my thumb hurts for you. but despite that darned rotary cutter, you are blessed. the night i went into labor with avery, george sliced his wrist open (accidentally)on a piece of glass he was cutting for a cabinet door – the good news was that a pregnant wife in labor makes for a very speedy ER visit! i think i made the ER staff extrememly nervous while watching george get stitches. but that was way back in my lullaby days:(

  8. I’m so sorry about that slice, Youch!!Your list of good things IS a great one, the photo of the new homestead makes me so weepy, it looks like home in my dreams, complete with the stream and barn!!

  9. That’s about the sweetest song ever. So lovely to reflect on the nice things when times get a bit messy. Thanks for the reminder. Will you be moving soon? Or where you saying warm weather is coming and having a yard makes the house feel so much bigger. =)

  10. I have been reading for a while but don’t usually comment. This is very beautiful! Thank you for sharing! Hope that thumb heals quickly.

    I sprained my thumb sledding a few weeks ago. It was difficult to take care of my three kids and keep up with everything, so I prayed that God would intervene and heal it in a miraculous way. He did! The next day I could move it without as much pain, and the swelling all but disappeared! It was a reminder to me that, anytime something is hard while raising kids, I can pray about it, not matter how small or insignificant I assume it would be to God. He just loves the extra contact with us, and will bless us for thinking of Him so readily. I guess I tended to pray about the larger issues more throughout my day, and felt that the smaller things I should take care of myself. How silly of me! 🙂

  11. Molly, I can’t say much about this post except that it brought tears to my eyes. thanks for the reminder about what is really important to a woman.

  12. So good to hear your voice. How very wise of you to remember gratitude in such a chaotic time. I was having the same kind of day when my toddler pulled a cup of boiling hot tea down on herself. Unlike you, I was dwelling, absolutely stewing, about everything that was wrong with my life. I can’t help but think it’s all related.

  13. Great reminder, Grace. I think I need to make my own list to dwell on when the SAHM job responsibilities start feeling like a prison sentence. (And hope that cut heals quickly! Ouch!)

  14. I’m praying for you sweetie. Thanks for the spring photo with bare toes I really need to see EVEN brown grass today while tuck under a few feet of snow and cold still.

  15. hey molly,I totally feel you. You seem like you are having a pretty rough couple of weeks. As soon as I read this, I thought, “you need some cheering up.” but I couldn’t think of a verse. The thought itself was there, but nothing was coming! But this seems to be the only verse I have been able to give out lately, and I’m sure you know it, but it’s always good to be reminded.

    Galatians 6:11

    “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

    Recently, I was really encouraged by you when I read a way earlier post of yours in the “faith” section about how your calling is being a wife, mother, and home maker. It is so true and something that the Lord has been teaching me a lot about lately. So, don’t be discouraged, Molly. You’re doing great. Don’t let the man getcha down (or in this case, Satan.)

    P.S. Read your post “A High Calling”. It’s a great reminder!http://www.mollycoddleblog.com/mommycoddle/2005/08/a_high_calling.html

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