The Short Life of Fred the Snowman

After waiting patiently for the snow to finally stop falling last week, the winds to die down to a slight breeze and the colds to run their courses through the home; the children and I finally ventured on outside to enjoy some of the snow magic.

With perfect snowball making snow, my children were determined to have a snowman they could call their own.  Since my snowman skills are less than impressive, while I went to work on our new friend, the boys enjoyed their time sleigh riding, building forts and throwing snow at one another.

Even with the amount of snow that we received, we decided that a doll-sized friend made out of all items we could find outside would be the perfect companion. The boys collected stones for the eyes and nose, found twigs from our mum bush that we planted last year for the arms; and after much rolling, shaping, breaking and remolding, our new friend was born.

We named our new friend, Fred and we all gathered around to add our own little touches to him.  A little bit of snow here, a twist of an arm there.  He was perfect.  The magic of the season was glowing in my children's eyes.

But with all things, Fred came with a valuable lesson.  Like many things in life, Fred was fragile and needed a gentle touch.  Unfortunately we learned the hard way that without that soft touch, things that we work hard on will and can break.

Although Fred's time with us was short-lived, he brought the boys together, with a lesson in patience, creativity and delicacy filled with compassion, amusement, laughter and pure enjoyment.  Thank you Fred, you will forever live on in our hearts.

The Short Life of Fred the Snowman

Mindful Monday

"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring."  ~ Liz Armbruster

 

Last night my oldest son had a nightmare and crawled into bed with me.  In years past, he has called out to me and after a hug and kiss, he has gone back to sleep.  Last night, he wanted to crawl into bed with me, and I was not arguing.

It's been years since I have cuddled up and smelled him while he slept.  I rubbed his back and told him a story, we held hands while he listened to my heartbeat, and then when he was ready to fall asleep he rolled over and I admired him, listening to his breathing slow to a steady rhythm.  

At 7 years old he tries to act like the older kids he sees in our neighborhood.  He tries to ride his skateboard like them, he tries to talk back to me, he calls me "Mom" instead of "Mommy" around them and he yearns to be older.  But last night, he was my little boy again and he needed me.  I took that opportunity to wrap him up and hold him with all that I had. 

This morning when I woke up beside him to the alarm clock sounding that it was time to get ready for school; I took another moment to breathe him in.  His childhood innocence, the angelic look on his face while he was dreaming, the little mole on the back of his neck that I tickle every time I see it.  That's my boy, no matter how many years go by. 

What were you mindful of today? 

Mindful Monday

First Days...

Today was Mikey's first day of Second Grade and Max's first day of his second year in Preschool.  First days always seem to keep me in a fog.  I long for the past when they were tiny babies and I look towards what fine young men they will become in the future.

Today was no different.  As I helped Mikey get ready this morning, I shared with him my memories of the first time he went on the bus and how I watched out the window for his return all day.  He's growing up so quickly.  I helped him package up his book bag and reminded him to be mindful in class.  We walked to the bus stop together and shared a few goals for the new school year and then I kissed him goodbye (thankful that he allowed me in front of his friends) and watched my little boy transform into a second grader.

 Later that morning, I had to do it all over again with Max.  Last year, Max had a classroom of all boys so he was looking forward to a classroom with girls in it.  This led his father to tease him about kissing girls.  I laughed but felt a ping in my heart, realizing that it is not that far off.  I made him a special lunch, we packed his snack for school together and then Alex and I watched him venture onto the bus and journey to his next chapter.

That left Alex and I alone for the afternoon.  The only thing I like about sending my older two off to school, is the quality time I get to have with my peanut.  Being the third child, we didn't get the quality time that his brothers were able to get as a baby or toddler.  These are the moments that I get to explore and watch his true personality.  When my little one doesn't mirror his older brothers but shows who he really is. 

It wasn't until this point that the fog truly cleared.  Yes, my boys are growing up and I do accept it.  I am blessed to share this journey with them.

First Days...

Be as a Child

While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

Children always inspire. They make you yearn for days gone by. The simpler times. The times of carefree joy and innocence. We miss it. We miss those times, but are they really out of reach or have we just forgotten how to enjoy them?.

As we grow older we begin looking towards the future. We begin living with goals that are slightly out of reach - college, careers, homes, children, retirement - It's a never ending cycle. Yet, when we look at children it causes a yearning.

Children are the greatest inspiration for mindfulness. They live in the moment with no thoughts of tomorrow. They enjoy the little things -- those simple pleasures that we take for granted. They let their natural curiosity and imagination take them where ever they want to go. They are free spirits in a closed-minded world. Something we as adults still harbor inside of us.

I could watch my boys for hours. They can sit and build "the largest tower in the world" with their blocks without thinking about what they will be doing later or what happened yesterday. When they fall and get a "boo-boo," they will act as if it's the most traumatic experience in the world as they sit there crying. The moment I place that band-aid on it and give it an "all better" kiss, it is forgotten and they move on as if nothing happened. It amazes me that these little creatures can live in the moment and just the moment. So innocent and carefree. Full of life.

What we yearn for from our childhoods isn't far out of our reach. If we let go of the woes of yesterday or the unknowns of tomorrow. If we let children inspire us -- let them remind us to live in the moment. Maybe then, we can enjoy the moment for what it's worth and most importantly, just live.

Be as a Child