To Remember

There are moments with my kids that I don't want to forget. I sometimes pause and try and make a mental picture, an image I will be able to recall in years to come. When they are all grown and flying the coop I would like to remember what it was like to have them little. To have the giggles and the running feet and even the chaos surrounding me.

A few weeks ago Ada asked for fruit snacks in her sweet two year old way. "Mama, I have fruit snacks now?" Her head cocked to the side and the pitch of her voice raised just a bit to be extra soft and sweet. I said, "Yes." because I am not a monster (and those eyes!) and followed her to the pantry. There is just something about following a two-year old around. She used to be so little and unsure. Now she seems so big and confident. She can open the pantry door, after all! I watched her little head lead me to the gold at the end of the snack request and made a wish to remember following these sweet little bodies around the house as they led me on the adventures that little preschoolers go on. To remember what it looks like to see an infant go from crawling to toddling to confidently stepping through life with purpose. Little humans growing up!

This morning Evan had his final basketball game of the season. He has improved over the six weeks he has been playing. Sometimes it's hard to watch my kids struggle at something new. I want to dribble for them and tell them where to go and who to guard. During the game Evan caught a catch and made a basket. Matt caught it on video. What he didn't catch on video is the look on his face. I was sitting behind the goal and after he made that shot he looked directly at me with a look of surprise on his face. He was asking if I saw it with his eyes. I gave him a big smile and a thumbs up. I was such a proud mom in that moment. Not just because he made a goal but because he was so pleased with himself. I hope to never forget the look on his face as he found me in the crowd to share in his excitement.

I was shopping at a craft show a couple of weeks ago and I found something that I just knew I had to get for Gracie. It was a little wooden plaque with the words "Bless the Lord oh my soul" on it. Every time I hear the song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman I think of little Gracie singing "Bless the Lord of my sword" so many years ago. I gave her the plaque this week and told her the story of listening to her sing the words she had come up with in the back seat many years ago. She didn't remember singing those words but she does know the song now. She asked "Alexa" to play the song for us while she crafted and I cleaned the kitchen. Mother and Daughter singing praises to our Heavenly Father.

"The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing 
When the evening comes..."

Lord, let me "sing your song" with every new day. Let my children see me face "whatever lies before me" with a song in my heart. Let me remember all these sweet moments when the evening comes.