Today my youngest’s turns the sweet, fun, NOT terrible (for all of you future momma’s of toddlers reading, warm smile) age of two. I love him; I adore my three. I just really felt like gushing about motherhood today, because it’s this amazing, taxing, wonderful, hard, beautiful, messy, miraculous gift. When I think about my 5 and 1/2 years as a mommy, graced with three little ones, it’s hard to really remember life before them. Was their life before them? It kind of feels like it’s always been this way,; I’ve had full hands and a fuller heart. People out and about see you and they always grin… sometimes it’s the “They are so cute,” variety. Other times it’s the “Oh my! I am so sorry,” grin-grimace, and some are bold enough to even speak up with a, “MY, your hands are full.” I think I smile back graciously most of the time and always exalt my kiddos in their eyes, because everyone should know these three beautiful lives spinning about my feet and hanging on about limbs, tossing their heads back with full on belly laughter, eyes full of delight and utter enjoyment of each day, these three are treasures, not extra weight or baggage. They aren’t what I HAVE TO DO they are what I GET TO DO. And I AM SO THANKFUL. Aren’t many of you?

Now are there ever moments I wish I could escape (knowing smile)? Um, yes. Like when the youngest is wailing and flailing (my first flailers, empathetic smile to you fellow-flailer moms). And as much I love to snuggle, when all three want to snuggle for 48 hours straight and I literally feel like I have new limbs, because they never let go, yeah, I want a break.  Y’all, this really happened to me, I am just asking you to ympathize (warm smile). Hear me when I say, I know some of you are longing to have just one baby to hang from your person. I am so sorry for the wait too…so sorry. I am not complaining here, I’m just saying in my real life I feel the same sorts of things as every other momma. I like a good break now and again too, but these kids are utter delight, purest joy… No wonder Jesus loved children so.

My deep desire is to love my children straight to Jesus, to be so characterized by the beauty of grace & love that it fills my children up with a thirst for the source of the living water.

And the source isn’t me.

So my youngest, that boy (shaking my head with a smile). I’ve never seen so much dirt & paper eaten, tips of markers bitten off. Never has a more stubborn lad entered these quarters. His belly laugh is so wonderful that it makes us laugh just about every time. His tantrums are the best and the worst.  No one in the history of ever has offered a more sincere, warm, cozy hug than this boy, and he offers them to everyone. The way he says no is delightful, never annoying, because his particular way of saying it is so endearing. “No. Nooo,” (a little more “ooow” phonetically than o just to help your imagination out). He can take anything apart and typically put it back together. It’s fascinating. And this one he loves his mommy, adores her in fact. As you might have gathered, I am fully endeared to him too.

He’s having a Lumberjack birthday party and I am gathering all of the details and planning out the meal. It suits him; it really does. And I cannot wait to celebrate my boy Lord willing. I will try to share a few pictures with you later too.

Well, Smiles of Grace friends I will see you back around these parts later this week Lord willing. Thank you for being ear to my gushing. The thing is I just knew you would understand.