Have you ever had a moment where life just simply became timeless? This weekend our oldest children, my step children to be technically correct though we never embraced the mine, or yours theories..just survived them all 🙂 , came home for the weekend with their significant other and spouses. Thirteen years into a blended family, my two sweet ones are now grown and adults on their own. The task at hand, helping mom deconstruct and reconstruct a garage worth of storage and reassemble it in #thetackybrownhouse. the challenge? There is no garage at the new house. Four men, the three young men and Les, wrangled and wrestled furniture pieces, handled garage downsizing, and the girls tackled chores at the house. Traveling as much as I have these last few weeks comes at a price…the kids in fact arrived before I did home. There was joy in knowing they were there first, for it made the day feel like the Christmas gathering we never had.
What a marvel to see these guys be who they are. Parenthood is such a mysterious process, so often about this or that in the moment, while hoping against hope that you’re tapping deeply into the love you feel for each of them while you’re also managing dirty sock brigades.
Our gifts are as varied as the shells of the sea, one of my daughters an administrator, her organization impeccable, another has a love for cooking, new to our family she delights us with her soft voice and willing heart. Our son in law, quiet strength who mechanically connects whatever is before him to much more efficient operations. Our older son, a trouble shooter, who can assess like CSI, any difficulty and solve the issue so that its operational again. Our younger son engages “get it done” operational statuses, and keeps time on the processess and reminds us that weekends are not for working solely, but for gathering, food, and fellowship. Our younger daughter absent most of the weekend, came home from a church retreat to indeed bring us all to the realization she’s not five any more….nor are we all. How beautiful to have them all home.
The Sweet Mama was proud of all of them. Moments framed in my mind and heart forever…the pew filled with their bowed heads, the laughter round the table, the deep sharing of lives that live 500 miles apart, the fellowship that means we are, indeed, family.
Some moments in life you simply savor…it’s not the sights, sounds, or location, but the heartbeat that aligns when families gather…and each heart beats their own beat but together becomes the song.
How does one measure joy? I’d say that if one could, this weekend was full to over flowing.
