Nine years later

I graduated from Lee University in May 2002. Stephen came down for the graduation accompanied by an entourage of family (both his and mine). I hadn't seen him in probably four months as he was busy attending college in Indiana and I was in Tennessee. It felt weird to have him close again, uncomfortable almost. He seemed really foreign to me. I remember thinking that his hair was so long. This is funny in retrospect. I certainly wasn't acting very warm towards him.
Immediately following graduation, as we were taking photos, Stephen walked up to me, asked me to read a little journal we had passed back and forth, and then got down on one knee to propose. That was nine years ago, and I hadn't been back to Cleveland, TN or Lee University since.
We took a little detour on our way to the Georgia wedding and stopped at the campus. I wanted to see what all had been built, and I had it in my mind that we should take a family picture at the spot we got engaged just as a visible reminder of what all has happened in the last nine years.
Getting a family photo sans tripod isn't easy. I do have a little remote control that helps.
Kids,Go stand over there by the post while mommy sets up the camera.
I'm taking to long and the kids are wandering and climbing. But is it working?
Stephen, try the remote.
Yeah, thanks dude.
Almost there.
Damn, we aren't in focus.
Ok, hurry!
Finally!


The collage I had hoped for.

Thoughts on {motherhood}

This evening we left church. Stephen and I decided that he would take D'arcy and Julian to La Parada for dinner, and I would come home with the babies. Stephen, D'arcy, and Julian were up for more socializing, and I was up for quiet time. Schroeder is quick becoming a big kid and was disappointed when he had to stay home with mommy. To ease his sadness, I put Maggie to bed and asked him to join me outside while I watered our freshly laid sod. I thought he would just enjoy watching me, but he was eager to run under the stream of cold water.
It's Mother's Day, and so many people have wished me a happy one. So I've been thoughtful about what it means for me to be a mother and Schroeder trompping in the water this evening summed it up.
It has been a beautiful day, warm but not hot. The sun was setting. It was the golden hour for photography where the sun makes everyone lovely instead of washed out. Schroeder just looked so perfect playing on our bright green yard. His presence made my simple task a joyful event and a time to reflect on the wonder of life.
At first he was content to just splash in the water and then he wanted to hold the hose and try to water himself. Motherhood is all about living your life and pausing frequently to teach your kids how to live life too. It makes me sad when I don't pause frequently enough and just plow through.
You could tell he was getting cold, so after I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures, I brought him inside and slid off his wet clothes. There is always more work to do when kids are around. Work is inevitable in life, though, whether you have kids or not. What people long for is to have meaningful work.
A mother has meaningful work.

Getting there.

I hate getting somewhere early. On time is great, but early feels like I've wasted valuable time. I typically plan to get somewhere on time, but rarely leave any time for unexpected circumstances. With four kids there are always unexpected circumstances. A scene from a recent morning went a bit like this.
I was in my bathroom getting ready. The kids were mostly put together. Schroeder comes in to announce that he is pooping. We had just changed his diaper (sigh). He recently turned two and I plan to potty train him this summer. I thought, hey, I should take this moment to introduce the subject. I stopped what I was doing, took his pants and diaper off, and sat him on the toilet. After sitting there a few moments, he peed so we all had to do the excited potty dance for him. He sat a few more minutes and said he was done. I told him to go into his room and get me a clean diaper. He went.
Around this time, D'arcy comes in looking for jewelry. I ask her about her loose tooth. The adult tooth had already grown in behind the loose one and food was getting trapped in between the two. I encourage her to twist it more often and decide that I'm going to help her. I tell her I'm going to press it firmly forward for ten seconds and then I'll stop. By eight it was bleeding and ready to come out. She takes it from there and yanks it out.
By this point, Schroeder is back in the bathroom with a new diaper. Julian announces that Schroeder has pooped on his bedroom floor. He must of stepped in it too... Thank God for wood floors.
I realize that I created some of this havoc for myself.
Yesterday, I did not create the havoc, though. I went to wake Schroeder and Maggie up so we could head to Greenwood to pick D'arcy up. Apparently, Schroeder learned to lock the door. We just moved in, and I don't know if we have little keys for the doors so I went around looking for something to open the lock. It took five plus minutes, but I got them out. We got to Greenwood just in time to pick D'arcy up. Good thing we weren't early because I sure do hate wasting time.

A little trip to Georgia.

Stephen has one cousin (in comparison, I have about 30 first cousins). Stephen's cousin got married this weekend...in Georgia...to a wonderful lady named Bessa. After so much rain in Indiana, it was wonderful to spend some time in a warm, dry place. Oh, and it was sort of beautiful, too. The wedding was held at a winery so their was plenty of beauty and wine. You can't have wine without a cool band and some dancing. The kids loved it all (minus the wine). They particularly loved spending time with their uncles, aunts, grammy, poppy, and GG (thanks for all the help Alex, Meagan, Josh, Katie, Dianne, Emmett, & GG). Julian never once took those sunglasses off, and D'arcy kept telling me she couldn't wait for June 25th. That's when she'll get her chance to be the flower girl. Schroeder, I was told, spent the entire ceremony eating fruit snacks and saying Amen over and over.

Debbie and Benjamin are having a baby.

This couple is super cool because
1. They live in Woodruff Place. When covered with snow, Woodruff Place makes me want to run down the street saying things like "I love you Saving and Loan". It's quaint and old and friendly.
2. They were totally comfortable in front of the camera. They were comfortable reading to their sweet baby in the womb for me. Debbie was comfortable doing yoga for me.
3. Debbie climbed a tree. She's nine months pregnant.

A Poem

I like friends.
Fun friends, good friends, funny friends are for me.
Me and you, we are friends forever, together.
We two are good friends, so do be my best friend.
I really like friends so much I could cry.
-J. D'arcy Williams

Their clothes say it all.

Let's be clear. He put this on himself.