Another year...

Each year I wish for two gifts. Well, each year since I've had children minus two years, 26 & 34, for which these two gifts seemed totally ridiculous and irrelevant in the grand scheme of life. I've wished for happy, kind, delightful...seemingly perfect children for 24 hours (have you met my kids?) and for sweet little cleaning fairies to come visit my house while I slept. Not just the sweeping, dusting, bathroom cleaning kind of fairies, but the ones that clean everything...windows, light fixtures, bathtubs, under and behind all furniture, refrigerators, cabinets, and everything in between. These fairies would reorganize anything out of whack and put everything back in exactly the perfect place without ever asking me where they belong. They would also do all laundry, make all beds, and maybe even iron any items hanging in the closets that might be in need. Are you laughing yet? Yes, I know, it's impossible and I'm only setting myself up for disappointment but a girl can dream, right?

This morning, the day started with one child yelling at another about something I'm sure was super important, it was enough for me to wake up and realize that the cleaning fairies probably had not come for a visit either. I was reassured of these things when I walked into the bathroom and noticed this...

Now, I assure you we do not feed our children in the bathroom, nor do we allow them to take snacks in with them. I'm wondering if this might have been stuck to a certain little person when she was disrobed and put in the bathtub last night.

Having random cereal on the floor may not be my dream on my birthday morning but seeing that reminded me very quickly that my house could be much cleaner but it would be without some of my most precious blessings.

Mike and I chit chatted about the day that my birthday wishes would come true and how sad in someways that day will be. The kids will be kind to each other because they won't live together anymore. The house will be clean because there will be no one to make a mess. I'll have time for quiet reflections and time to think...I'll probably even enjoy it many days, but I bet it won't be quite as lively or include random Pokemon creatures singing me happy birthday in bed, or a certain little girl demanding that I get up to rock and feed her, welcoming the day snuggled against her warm sweetness. I hope that when that day comes I remember with love the days I wished for just this day, appreciate the wait and all the blessings that came along on the journey!

I came to blog world today in the spirit of the journey, because after waking up to the sounds of boys, Pokemon, and what was hiding in the bathroom rug I remembered, maybe even with a tear or two, the best birthday gifts I've been given, although I'm sure there have been many great ones along the way.  The first, and biggest by far is the blessing that God formed me in my mother's womb. That he knew me before the world did and he chose my mom very carefully. I am so blessed to have been laid in her arms oh so many years ago. The second one was very simple, some flowers delivered to me at my parent's door four years ago today. I remembered blogging about them here, and wanted to revisit the post. It brought so much back to me and reminded me of the grace of God that is shown through friendship.  It may have been a simple thing, one that could be easily duplicated in action, but probably never in spirit. Somehow something so simple in the middle of life suspended brought into focus all of the beauty and blessings around me, seen and unseen. The women who sent the flowers may never know quite how deeply they touched me. This week is a hard one for me. I celebrate life and I mourn loss. 12 years ago I spent my birthday in surgery ending an ectopic pregnancy, a little life lost to save mine. Four years ago I spent my last full day with my dad. These are pieces of my story, they flow with truth and life and love...on this journey there has been heartache, but there has been great, great joy.

Joy far beyond what any cleaning fairies could bring. =)