A Time to Cherish

Where are these little years going?! Both of my babies are sleeping and I just stood in both of their rooms and watched them for a while. It's warm in their rooms - L is in nothing but a onesie and S is wearing bike shorts and a t-shirt that's too small, knees up in the air and an arm over her head. Both audibly sucking on their pacies. I love the sound of the fans - makes it feel like summer; falling asleep with pink faces and sticky skin.

God has graciously helped me to step back this week and enjoy my girls. He's made me aware that these days are short. S had her first ballet class today and I got teared up watching her. She is stunningly beautiful. Her beauty has literally been taking my breath away lately. I sat there and watched her sitting and listening to her teacher - her hair pulled up into a messy bun with whisps falling down around her ears and neck. She sat with perfect posture. She looked like the perfect ballerina. She just kept giggling as she danced around the room in her pink satin leotard and her tulley pink tutu. They did a little routine to "Somewhere Out There" and I just about died. She danced so well. The other two girls have been practicing this dance for months and we just joined so this was S's first time and she did better than both of them (in my humble, biased opinion)! She just amazes me! We skipped to the car together afterwards, something we don't do as much of these days since I'm usually carrying L. Getting individual time with each of them is so precious to me!

Then there's Lulu-bug. Oh that face. Her entire face lights up when she smiles, and all you have to do is look at her. It is hands-down one of my favorite feelings in the whole world. She is so sweet and she's getting so big. I love this stage! She's cruising everywhere and exploring everything (although if we sit her outside in the grass she just plays or watches the world go by, but doesn't move an inch:)). She has big feelings and her volume level is like nothing I've ever heard before! But when it's time for bed and she's had her bottle she snuggles her face into my neck and I could stay there for a thousand years! Then there's her thighs...her thighs I could eat with a spoon - they're wonderful. Our family absolutely would not be complete without her.

These sisters love each other fiercely. I love bringing L into S's room to wake her up from a nap. As soon as we walk into S's room and L sees her, she gets a huge smile and starts leaning out of my arms because she so badly wants to climb all over S and take her paci out of her mouth. She is next to impossible to wake up from naps right now, but when L is the one to wake her up, S is blissfully happy. Still sleepy-eyed she hugs and kisses on L and laughs while she tries to take her pacis out of her mouth. It's one of my favorite moments of the day. I see so many adult sibling relationships that struggle, sometimes to the point of not having a relationship and I don't understand it. As a mother, that would kill me to see in my sweet girls but I know it's very often a reality and so for that reason I started praying as soon as L was born every night that nothing would come between them all of their days. Not that they would never have to work through and talk through things together but that they would always CHOOSE to work through and talk through the tough things/times together.

I am indebted to the Lord forever for the past 3 years that He has allowed me to enjoy S and for the past 9 months that He has allowed me to enjoy L. It's more than I could ever deserve.

(Look closely in the background of these two, above and below :) )