Fall has proven to be an extremely busy time for this photographer. Since most of my sessions take place outdoors, cold and rainy weather had me cancelling three shoots. The result...a weekend with absolutely no work commitments. So here we are, Sunday afternoon, and I have a smile on my face that won't go away as I think about the last 48 hours with my family.
Allow me to share with you the hilarious, frustrating, awkward, and lovable moments that have captivated my life this weekend. In each of these moments, the presence of God was so profoundly felt. :)
**********************************
Saturday mornings usually find my family seated around the dining room table with one of the following breakfasts:
biscuits and gravy with sausage or bacon and eggs
OR
pancakes
This weekend, Rick made the 1st option, Whenever we have homemade biscuits, Rick makes GG a biscuit snake. What this really means is that he rolls all the left over dough into a long zig-zaggy shape that resembles a small garden snake. GG lets her imagination run wild as she dips her biscuit snake into the gravy and then bites of its head! This simple tradition of Saturday breakfast is one of the highlights of my week.
After Saturday breakfast, we decided to build a fort. There is just something about a fort that takes me back to my childhood. We didn't mess around with this weekend's fort either! It had not one, but TWO entrances! Gabriella's new favorite line is, "This is girls only!" and so we had some girl only time in our multi-room fort. GG, Marielle, Genevieve and I pretended and giggled and cuddled in our cozy fort...until...the big dragon (aka Daddy with 2 cups of coffee) came to scare us. The shrill scream of feigned terror had me wondering if the neighbors ever worry that something crazy is going on over here!
We spent the rest of our day watching football, eating chili, and playing indoor soccer.
This morning, I was the first up (as usual). As we began getting ready, the same old battle began. Rick gets up late and I end up feeling like everyone gets to get ready except me! Just once, I would like for everyone in our family to look good at church at the same time! Please tell me that we are not the only family that argues over the silliest things on Sunday morning. For all the times we can get this family of five going, Sunday mornings are not amongst those times. I hate being late and it's even harder to finagle your way through crowded pews with a almost three year old who wants to talk to everyone she passes and two infant carriers! Combine that with people who aren't willing to scooch on over and I am about over it by the time I sit down. This Sunday, we actually got there in time to claim the very last row to ourselves. We sat there with a twin anchoring our family row, GG in between, and Rick with his arm around me. Earlier in the week Rick shared with me, "You know, even though I'm home every single day, the first thing I always do in the morning is put my ring on." That remark struck me as Rick put his arm around me and then held my hand in church today. A sweet moment interrupted by a weird look when I peeped over and noticed Rick messing with his pants zipper. I gave him that look like what on earth is going on over there. Oh, don't worry. Rick forgot to zip his pants this morning. Seems in all of the arguing and rushing, Rick forgot one very important detail in his wardrobe. Yep. We were that couple with the creeper dad who doesn't zip his pants! No wonder everyone was staring at us this morning. Rick said he had felt a draft, but couldn't figure it out. Please ask me what the homily was about today, so I can tell you the reason I don't know: my husband didn't have his pants zipped...and in church!! Is there something sacrilegious about that!? When it was time for Communion, GG joined Rick, but got very upset demanding over and over, "I want that Body of Christ! I want that Body of Christ!" Well, I did something really bad...
Rewind...
to all of the mothers of 1 and 2 year olds who keep telling me their children are potty trained, which makes me feel awful because Gabriella is almost 3 and proudly proclaims that she doesn't want to use the potty because it is easier to go in her diaper.
So, where were we? Ahhhh....yes, GG wants that Body of Christ. I actually said, "GG, do you want that Body of Christ? Then, you need to use the potty. The only people that can take the Body of Christ are people that go poo-poo in the potty!"
Seriously. How awful is that?! Well, I started feeling bad about that horrible use of bribery and tried to explain what the Body of Christ really represents in hushed whispers as the parents around me gave me mortified looks. I know. I know.
So, we came home, made finger puppet fall crafts and then GG went down for a nap. Covering her was her Daddy's Steelers' terrible towel. She won't go to sleep without it.
As we were crafting this afternoon, I snapped this picture.
GG making decisions about the size of the owl's eyeballs in the foreground, Rick playing with Genevieve in the background with Marielle laughing.
I am in awe....
of the biscuits and gravy
of the forts
of the chili
of the hand-holding
of the inconsequential nature of Sunday morning arguments
of the unzipped pants
of the Body of Christ
I don't know how or with whom you have spent your weekend, but I bet if you look at the tiniest of details, the smallest of moments, you will see that God was always there.
I am so appreciative that He, not only reveals Himself, but that He helps me remain aware.
Love,
Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment