Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Zoo Moments: Brought to you by the middle child

Here are my "kid in the middle" stories today from the zoo.

Story 1:

Me:  Look guys there is the mama lion and her 2 cubs! She has three, but I don't see the third out and about.
S:  He probably smacked his mom on the head and is in time out. (Said very matter-of-fact)

Story2:
The elephants and the zebras are near one another at the Tucson zoo.  L and S walked over to the Zebras (where I could still see them) and C and I stayed watching the elephant keepers putting out food. We are all having a nice time.  Then, I looked toward the zebras.  There, facing me, was my sweet five year old, S, pants down to his ankles peeing on a zoo tree!! My quick response was a yell (that could be heard to PHX) of his FULL name.  He knew. . BUSTED!  He quickly pulled up is pants and came over.  I made him sit on the bench until I could compose myself and explain in a kids version, indecent exposure.  His response. "Yeah I shouldn't do that because no one really wants to see my penis." 

I hope you laughed as hard as Jeff did when I called him at work to relay the story. 
Have a great rest of your Wednesday!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Mindful Snapshots

I feel that I have been reminded over and over these past few weeks to take what I have decided to call "mindful snapshots".  Mindful meaning in my mind and purposeful. Snapshots, obviously meaning pictures.

Maybe the best way to describe it was the mindful shot I have in my mind from yesterday.  Let me describe the scene.  We had lunch after a great morning at church, just the five of us at Culvers.  The snapshot is all of us sitting at the table.  Sean snuggling his daddy almost on his lap, content and smiling, Jeff laughing while Lauren sits next to him laughing with her toothless grin, I am across from them with Colin putting his sweet hugging arms around my neck saying "mommy" in a little voice.  I chose to make that a mindful snapshot as we were all there, all loving each other, all laughing.  We had no agenda right then, no place to be, nothing to do other than be there in that moment sharing time with one another.   My heart was so full.  Who would have guessed that a Sunday afternoon lunch at Culvers could hold such a moment? 

Therefore, I have decided to take more mindful snapshots, more times that I just stop, live in the moment and take it in.  I know this sounds morbid to some, but it is absolutely true that life is short and 30 seconds from now I could no longer abide on this earth.  Some I know can't stand when I talk like that, and I get that it can be scary and sad, but it is reality.  Yet, because of grace the promise of new life for me is a gain, so it doesn't bother me. 

I want to live in those moments, for I believe that they are gifts from above.  I believe that they are the moments that make pain, stress, agony, and turmoil disappear from our lives even if only from an provide peace, love, happiness, joy, and contentment. 

I hope to posting more descriptions of my mindful snapshots and would love to hear some of yours as well.