This Sprint Called Motherhood

On a beautiful Spring night, I found myself among my handsome husband and dear friends who share our homeschooling journey. 

Most notable was the couple who mentors us along the way.  As we sat in their charming, quiet, expansive Southern home, relaxing, I relished not a tweet, a phone ringing, xbox, wii, or tv.  


In that quiet and stillness of yesteryear, I changed.  My heart was captured in a different way, regarding my children and husband and our family - our future.  I was forever moved. 

It was a classic Southern night, the beautiful pond, the ducks, a full moon, us out on the patio with great food and laughter.  Amazing home cooked meals, beautiful people, gorgeous home and acreage.  Yet, these were not the things that drew me in, it was the spirit. 

It has been a while since I have felt such a spirit of greatness in such a  small setting.  Thankfully, most Sundays I feel that blessing and community in our home church as we listen to amazing lessons by a pastor God ordained. 

Our hearts were eager, hungry for more from this classic, humble, knowledgable and grounded couple who's once young sons are now grown and finding their own way.  Their relationship was filled with frequent visits and calls and relationship with their

parents - sharing them with us here.  

There was something about the quiet calm and the company of greatness that was poignant.  As a boy mom, I knew that one day these same walls were targets for darts, and fingerprints, and paper airplanes.  These same walls held the hopes and fears of this then young mom as she raised her own generation "for such a time as this."  This same Mom had dreamed of order and sanity amongst the long, rambunctious life she undoubtedly had with two young boys. 

In some ways we stepped back in time, a classic original radio flyer red wagon here, wooden toys there, children's books everywhere.  They had it all.  A library, a play room, the perfect kitchen, bedrooms decked out, nooks and crannies, a dress up room.  

And times still marches on. 

As a nostalgic mom, I can stop here and cry.  Yet, my mind is on fire for the first words I heard as we listened with intent as the husband began to talk about the days, to our husbands, ....fathers.... "It's a sprint."  

"This is not a marathon.  You are on a sprint.  The sprint of your life and one day all too soon it will be over. And you'll be done.  Ours is over.....  

No parenting is never over.  You'll always be a part of their lives, but your everyday, the influence you had, the moment to moment togetherness, will be gone."  The wisdom in his voice of experience was sobering.  They had run hard and fast and well. I want to be like that.

Tears overcame me.  I knew this moment would change me. 

So rather than cry and wish for yesteryear and hold on to day - I knew I'd be different.  It is a sprint... he continued.  


I couldn't agree more.  I am in that sprint.  And I'm mid-lap.  Far enough in that I'm warmed up and close enough to the finish line that I'm gasping for breath.  After tonight, I know I am so close and the end comes so fast that I feel it in a way that makes me want to feel and live and love every second, every moment of today with my own two boys and husband I love.  

I want to be cognizant of every day - the moments - with our boys.  Our boys.  The ones who dance on the roof, and enjoy climbing walls, and an occasional swing from a ceiling fan.  I'm almost joking. Yet, there are moments when this "feels" true.  

Looking back on that night I strive to not forget. To have that "glow!" that I ran, fast and hard and well.  


At the end of the day ( or a life) that is the difference I want to make, a difference in lives, people. My people. I too want  make a difference for the next generation - my own. Everyday I to know I am in this "sprint" as we "raise greatness!" "For such a time as this." 


Are you there?  In the Sprint? 


Warmly, 
Carolina Mama 

Warmly, Carolina Mama

A Milestone: Last Day of Seven

Look who is turning Eight t.o.m.o.r.r.o.w. We're in the midst of a family reunion with the Grandparents. It's a "staycation" if you wish. We're doing a lot of those Grandparent special things. They arrived from Colorado on Saturday and we're making the most of each moment.

As I look back through pictures of this year, it is hard for me to realize that these boys are turning eight tomorrow. Here we were last year, Spring, just after they turned seven.

Here are some of the obvious changes:
1) Baby teeth in front still;
2) Shoe sizes are two and three sizes larger;
3) They are 2 and 3 inches taller;
4) They are now on 16 inch bikes

There is inevitably more. Really I am not a sap, it is just that right now Twin Mothering is effecting me in the sense of valuing each moment. Yes, the days are long and the years are short - particularly for Mountain Man and me, for now, it seems that we get to parent each milestone and event once. Once and twice all at once.

I live in a heightened sense of emotion as a Twins Mom and I know this is one special miracle. So I look back on this year at these gifts we're given with a grateful and thankful heart.

Happy Birthday Boys! You are heaven on earth.

Tomorrow we'll be celebrating and continuing the festivities. Also, in the next week or so, I'll share the awesome "Overnight" Mountain Man and I got to share. It was a 'staycation' though we were out-of-town and just fifteen minutes away all in one.

And I have to tell you prior to our 'overnight' while the Tigers stayed with the Grandparents, I tried to hear the sound of silence. Well, this 'staycation' I heard the sound of silence once more.

It was golden.

Just call me "Carnival Queen" as a New Orleans native with Mardi Gras days away, I'll take it because this post is another part of my addiction to 'Fro You To Me.

Warmly,

Summertime Rain Storm and Hot Chocolate

Did you run in the rain storms when you were a child?! Growing up in South Louisiana, thunderstorms were a constant in our lives. I have many a memory of running in the rain. Sommersalts, cartwheels in the horseshoe drive. We had two acres of land and a horseshoe drive with gravel. No matter how many truck loads of gravel my parents ordered to be laid down, there were some really good mud puddles when it rained.

I loved playing in the rain. My siblings and I did this with reckless abandon. As a college student, I would come home from school and continue the fun. Who says you can't come home!

Enjoy summer because it's going fast... and you know what's just around the corner.
Here are my guys having hot chocolate after a good rain storm here. A good rain storm sans the lightning that can steal the fun. We usually take advantage of these. Warm enough to play in it, no lightning, we're in.

And the Tigers say Mommy's hot chocolate is the best! Isn't that worth it's weight in - chocolate! ;)

Do you run in the rain!? Do your children enjoy this? Or are you going to try it soon? Make sure to capture the moments when you do.

Sesame Street Live, Jim Kelly and MIX101.5

Thanks to MIX101.5, we all enjoyed SesameStreetLive recently! We were all so pleased that SesameStreetLive brought their show to North Carolina kids! It was a ball and everything you and your little ones would imagine. It was really neat they were right her in Carolina Country. All of the big names, the Tigers were over the moon!

MIX101.5 even set us all up with a Lunch with the Characters before the Show! And we got to meet another real live character, MIX101.5's Jim Kelly and his family. What a treat. The entire day was as Jim would say "forgetaboutit!" good. ;) Thanks MIX101.5!