wild and precious life

It was one of those weeks.  I felt like I wasn’t doing a whole lot right, but most definitely was topping the list of wrongs.  I am attempting to quit drinking Coke. Don’t let me sugar coat this…but it has been terrible, beyond terrible, and worse than terrible!  Coke and desserts are two of my greatest joys and weaknesses in life.  Taking one of those away from me has been as bad as it would be if someone took away my books.  I caught Liberty washing her feet and socks in the bathroom sink after going to the bathroom instead of washing her hands like a normal toddler.  Bella yelled “BA BA BA BA BA” as loud as she could with that ever-famous mean face to a stranger at Wal-Mart, and soon after I was so embarrassed that I t-boned a parked cart.  I have had allergies or a cold that seem to have stuck with me for WEEKS, and hair that needs colored and cut worse than you can imagine.  (Did I forget to mention, while I was on the phone, I thought Liberty was playing ever-so-sweetly in the recliner…yes, ever so sweetly smearing Baby-Vicks all over her face, and probably trying to eat it!) I could write a book on her antics, and as Jake and I lie in bed at night we have talked about how ornery Bella seems to be and she may be worse than Liberty! What in the world could we be in for? J

Today, when Jake’s Grandma came over, I breathed a sigh of relief.  Finally, the overflowing sink of dishes could be done, the dishwasher cleaned out, the chicken shredded into casserole dishes for meals, and maybe I'd even have time to figure out what in the hell was wrong with my cell phone that will hold a charge for a whopping 4 minutes!  While I did the dishes I glanced over into the living room and saw both girls sitting on her lap reading books.  These moments take my breath away.  Our girls love all of their grandparents more than words…but you know how rare it is to have them BOTH in one spot doing the same thing, and not fighting!  I said a little prayer as I finished, thanking God for these moments.  Moments that cause our hearts to stop, and take note of how blessed we are.  Little did Alfreda know, that she had turned my tears into smiles, and our day into a beautiful one. 

As I carried Liberty up to her room to tuck her into bed for her nap, I whispered, “I’m sorry, baby.  Mommy won’t be so distracted after nap.  We’ll play, read books, and go outside”.  She smiled such a big smile, and kissed me on the lips, saying, “Love you, Mommy!”  How precious are the hearts of little children.  

This quote hit home as I surfed Pinterest the other night, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”  I know what I plan to do with mine.  I plan to love my children, my husband, my family and friends with all of my heart, spend less time worrying about how my hair and makeup look, more time being spontaneous and planning wild adventures for my kids, and more time telling all those I love how much they mean to me.