pop-up ice cream...

Staying home isn't a hard task, but missing your people is a different story, and we knew that by May, some people were missing all people. And so... when Eric came to me with one of his What if we... ideas, we figured out a way to make it work. He is, forever, the idea man, and I suppose one secret to our marriage is that if he dreams it up, I try to figure out how to make it happen.  

We named our "shop" Wilbur's South, in honor of our family run Massachusetts ice cream shop Wilbur's North. I even made t-shirts, because I had plenty of time. We decided on a simple menu, with just a few flavors, added some balloons, just for fun, and mapped out our route. 

We were on a mission, to spread a little joy to some of our favorite people... and it was more than we could have imagined. Everyone was assigned a job, and as our family/friends came out to the driveway, Cam unfolded the table and menu board, I strung up and set out the decorations, and Eric organized his serving area in the trunk. There was wonder, laughter, and many, many smiling faces. 

Our first stop broke all the rules. Sweet MK was too excited, and there was no way she was keeping her distance! She want to help, and she wanted a hug. Her Mom said you are the first real people we've seen! Eric scooped while MK looked on, and then we chatted and laughed together before packing up and making our way to the next driveway. 

In two weekends, we brought our little ice cream shop to over a dozen driveways, and would have done more, but the timing just didn't always work out. We forgot to take pictures at every stop, but there were smiles everywhere {well, almost everywhere... there was one little that wasn't sure about it!}. It was exhausting, but we loved it! 

We have always known that ice cream=happiness, but these driveway visits were more than we even dreamed they could be. In the days after our adventures, we learned that the gift we had given, in doldrums of quarantine, was much more than a sweet treat... it was a connection, it was Light, it was love.

the right now

He stretched out on the couch, long and lean, while I sat hovering.
Does the heat help?  Is is too hot?  Do you need another blanket?
It seems years have passed since the last time he needed me in the middle of the night.  Many years.  But ears have a way of crying out in the wee small hours.  He winces through the pain, and my whole mama-self wants to haul him up in my arms and hold him close while I whisper away the pain.  But that inch he has grown past me makes it all but impossible.  I settle for the hovering... the reheating of the bean-bag, the spreading of another blanket, the watching, the waiting. 

Each age, each phase they tumble through, each moment in time... is scattered with gifts, even if they are occsionally scattered in the rubble.  I wonder what I would give for the chance to turn back the page and hold my little boy, full in my arms, just once more.  The vision slinks in with a warm love glow... and for a minute, all seems worth it.  And then clarity comes about and I realize how good it is right now. No trade would suffice... right now needs to be the victor.  Right now, perched on the edge of big dreams, with its independence and sense of humor and never-ending list of things that make a mama smile. 

I hear his even breathing, place a kiss on his forehead... and I whisper a thank you to the Creator of what was, what is and what will be. 

: :
A week flies by and it is Tuesday again... a Tuesday with gifts to unwrap.  The gifts are not always beautiful at first glance, but when I seek with grace-colored-glasses, I find the beauty that was longing to be found.  Last week Emily urged to "Begin with the gifts at your feet and see where they take you."  Thank you, Emily.  They have taken me on a journey and back.

the same page

The weekend was full of weariness. Late nights that were unavoidable, days that were brimming with activity. All important, nothing that could have been set aside for another day. I wish I could have set aside some of the words that spouted from my own mouth...
Mothers and daughters... not always the easiest of relationships. Sometimes it is really good, and sometimes... oh sometimes, I wish we could just avoid each other and be happy about it. But I pushed her this weekend. I pushed her to accomplish tasks that were far from her desiring, and far too long overdue for my liking. And she pushed back... like a real teenager is apt to do.
Sometimes I think my kids are not real teenagers, but there are days when I receive my reality check.
But yesterday was a new day. Almost. At least it was a new day after the sun came up. Before that? I just might have had some words left in me that I should have kept to myself.
So yesterday afternoon was a new day... and as she & I sat together in the bathroom ready to fancy-up her hair for her high school open house and her first chorus performance, we smiled together.
How do you want your hair?
Just regular.
Okay.
Or... I kinda miss my...
Spiky hair?
Yeah.
I was thinking I kinda missed it too.
And there we were, giggling over finishing each other's thoughts, and being on the same page. And it felt good, after a weekend that was dashed with struggles. The giggling continued, along with the little details of her day... and I could not help but linger in the goodness of us, mother and daughter.
It is an everyday gift... a gift that might have been overlooked, if not for the uneasiness that prefaced.
 A Tuesday kind of gift.
And thankfulness abounds.

in the sharing

I lost track of time while we were in Africa this summer. The days went by with joy and so much excitement... and without me putting a name to them.  Monday?  Wednesday?  I didn't know, and it was nice not needing  to know.  Just over halfway though the trip, someone spoke the day outloud, and my mind immediately set to counting.  With a smile, I realized that there was so much time remaining!  After a few more days though... I could feel the days slipping away.  It was so hard to leave... to leave the beauty, to leave the experience... and have it all behind me.  Done, after so many months of anticipation.  Coming home was bittersweet.  But then there were the pictures and the stories and friends who genuinely wanted to know all about it.  And in the sharing... the journey has continued.  Africa is still alive in my heart, and the stories are still vivid... and thankfulness abounds.  I love that sharing has so much power. 

So thank you... for allowing me to share, for encouraging me to continue.  It is a gift to my heart and soul.

Celebrating YOU on this Tuesday...

unwrapping friendship

Last week I received a surprise from a friend. A friend from way back when... I marched in my own high school band. Years have gone by, but through the magic of facebook, a friendship has been renewed. We trade sighs over sunsets or sunrises... and we share love for one certain beautiful lighthouse, and all that surrounds it. Tidbits of our now life mixed all in between, and that in itself is a gift... loving the silver and the gold of friendship, and stirring it all together. But there was another gift... one that arrived buried in pink peanuts and wrapped in pink bubblewrap...

A thank you for the gift of friendship, for all that our friendship is about. Knowing that there is something that makes her think of me and smile would have been more than enough for this heart... but she went that extra mile, and thank you just doesn't seem enough.

Oh, how I cherish the friendships in my life... one of the most beautiful gifts that god lavished upon us. Somefriends we chat with over coffee, others by instant message.  And some... we read the words that have spilled out over their hearts onto this glowing screen. All real. All dear to the heart. All a gift... and most certainly worthy of a Tuesday.

two gifts wrapped in one week

Typically, summer means that the kids are off on a little trip with Eric's parents... and Eric & I have a week or two, just for us. This time, Eric & Cam were the ones away... gone to camp, and it is was just us girls.  It was a week I will never forget. A week I always want to remember. While I try not to focus on the time that is slipping through my fingers, the fact that I cannot halt it, or even slow it a bit, never wanders too far from mind. And so this week, during which we played and worked together in harmony, has been a gift. A true and beautiful gift. 
Another gift wrapped up in last week?  Having the privledge of watching my daughter interact with the kids at the horse therapy camp where she is working.  Each day she comes home covered in paint and dust... and totally exhausted, her heart overflowing with joy.  I can see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice... she is the one receiving the gift, though the time she gives is a gift to the program.  My own heart feels so full... so happy that she gets it.   It may be better to give than to receive... but when it comes to giving your time, your energy and your heart... the gift you give fades from sight and the gift you receive is all that matters. 
One week... two gifts.   Beautiful, beautiful.

Linking up to Emily's Chatting at the Sky on the Tuesday...

realizing a gift

My toes are itching to be covered in sand... my feet are longing be lapped with waves... and the shoreline won't be in sight for at least three days. I had intended to carve out a bit of time to play at the beach this weekend but it just never happened. It wasn't even one of those weekends... when every hour has its own agenda. No... it was a weekend with very little planned, very little running. But packing up the sunscreen and a few towels never seemed pressing enough.
Sunday, after cooking and serving up beignets at church (for a fundraiser), the four of us settled in and took some time to... rest. Knowing that there was no place we needed to run off to and that the house was clean (enough), I allowed myself to just be. Mindless TV, cool air, my legs resting over top his, and the sunshine glinting in through the window... brought contentment. It wasn't where I thought I would be... wasting away a beautiful Sunday afternoon... but perhaps, it was where I needed to be. And, time with them... is never wasted.

Celebrating the gift of contentment on a Tuesday... and the hope of a beach day in the near future.

lego love

The other day I walked in and saw... the biggest Lego mess I had seen in quite a while. My eyes widened and I might have made a comment... but I looked up and saw him at work. Building. And it was... homework. The History of Legos research paper needed a visual...

Sunday I peeked around a door way and saw... a Lego masterpiece in progress. Two of my most favorite boys were up to their eyeballs assembling the Lego City Police Station. Steven's birthday gift. The teamwork between them made me smile... especially when they leaned their head together and Steven shouted Teamwork! Oh those smiles... they melt my heart everytime.

Legos make a mess... and it hurts like heck to find one with your bare foot. But this Mama will never complain. Nope. The light in his eyes when he is stretching his imagination beyond what is is just another gift I count myself lucky enough to receive.

Linking up to Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky...

hand print on my heart

It has been there for a few weeks... even through the rain. I think I am the only one who has noticed it. Eric would have tried to scrub it off... my kids surely would have pointed it out, and probably would have laughed about it.
I love it... this hand print on my walkway. Because the hand that was so stained by red mulch that it would leave a mark on concrete, is the same hand that has held tightly onto mine for almost nineteen years. It is the hand that held onto mine when we promised each other forever and when our babies came into the world. It is the hand that rests in mine when we are driving in the car or just watching TV. His hands... are gentle and strong all at once... and seeing the mark when I walk up to our home is like a warm embrace, his hand on my heart.

Celebrating the mess that life is... and the beauty... on Tuesday with Emily.

there goes my heart

My travelers are home from Tennessee... and their excitement bubbled all over the living room, along with their luggage and bags of treats. It felt like Christmas, for the two of us who stayed home... and I felt a little bad that her spending money was spent on us. I was really only anticipating one gift... because the last stop of the trip was Cracker Barrel, and she knows that I will always choose clove. She handed me a bag, and I gave her a look... what about my clove stick? And that girl... she just smiled.


It was far more than I expected. Far more than I desired. Extravagant. And there goes my heart... for she has learned to give like her daddy. And like her Father.

Happy Tuesday... I hope that you have a beautiful gift to unwrap today...

easy does it

Yesterday, I put the sick behind me and stepped on the treadmill. The first real exercise in months. The strides felt good as I walked... and my feet wanted to fly. Thankfully, I was determined to let my head be in control. Slow and steady. Slow feet and steady breathing. One day at a time, and hopefully I will be back to my three-mile mornings... wheeze free. For all my life, breathing has come naturally... but these past months have taught me that a deep breath is most certainly a gift. And a one I am thankful for on this Tuesday.

missing her

It was hard to send my kids back to school today. If I could have granted them another week of spring break, I would have waved my magic wand and done so… one week flew by so quickly. I am really ready for summer.

We did take two family days to play… Busch Gardens one day and the beach the next. But other than that… my girl worked getting ready for Odyssey of the Mind State Competition. It happens this weekend in Orlando. She and her teammates are very motivated and dream of World Competition, and so her 50 plus hours this past week didn’t bother her too much. But I missed her.

Last night… it was just the two of us. Home… relaxing after our work days. She was in her room doing who-knows-what, and I had settled in on the couch, ready to see what Tivo had recorded. I called to her and asked if she wanted to watch the Amazing Race with me… and out she came. With her blanket and Johnny the polar bear. She has maybe watched two episodes in the past five years… but whatever was going on in her room must not have been too exciting.

I went on and on about “my” cowboys and how I wanted them to make it to the pit stop.. and she smiled and watched with me. When they made it from last place to first, I was thrilled. And although she was probably thinking Mom, get a life, she raised her hand for a high five. And I think, in that moment, she realized she was missing me too. Maybe.

This girl of mine, she is a gift. She frustrates me and amazes me… sometimes in the span of thirty minutes. And I love her. Every little bit of her.

Somehow, it is already Tuesday… and so I unwrap the wonder of a daughter. She is completely herself… with facets more brilliant that any precious gem.

anticipation

There is anticpiation lingering here this morning. For good, for bad, and in my case... for denial. But anticipation, just the same. It feels like a vacation morning... all of us up before dawn and going about our business to be ready at the appointed hour. Soon, we will all head out together... a very unusual happening on a weekday morning. And it feels like an adventure.
Because today is the day.
The day for our vaccinations.
It will put us one step closer to our African vacation. Good.
Of course, shots are no one's favorite, and multiple shots are even worse. Bad.
And even though my Mom has told me that there is one that hurts... a lot... I am pretending, and hoping, that it won't. Denial.

Today I celebrate the little steps that preceded the big journey. Because every step is an adventure... all part of the story. And on a Tuesday... certainly worth unwrapping!

uncontainable

His laughter has always been something special. From the time he was a baby. I recall snuggling right up with his sweetness and just touching under his chin... because it made him burst into the cutest baby laugh I had ever heard. And if I got the chin quiver along with the laugh? Oh. Heaven.
His laughter has never stopped. He continues to let it bubble on forth, right from his toes. And he just might take after his Mama... because that laugh is pretty loud, and he doesn't care who hears it. But that is not my favorite part. No sir-ee, Bob! My favorite part... is the space he needs to laugh. If he is watching America's Funniest Home Videos or Wipeout... he simply cannot sit on the couch. He will climb on down from the couch and declare that he needs more room. And so he plops down on the floor and rolls. Yes. He rolls on the floor with laughter. And I love the authenticity of it. Because it fits him.
The other night, he laughed from the chair... while we watched Home Alone 2. He laughed himself over the left arm, and half-way over the right. His laughter threw him backwards and then forward... and almost plopped him down on the floor. That chair... couldn't quite contain him. Nor could I capture it on camera. The way he lives his life... simply cannot be contained. The fun and the joy overflow right on out of his heart and spill onto the toes of the innocent by-standers. And I hope these bystanders are open to it. Because the way he chooses to live teaches me to grab the moment and the joy and the craziness. He reminds me to live outloud. And while I may have had a hand in teaching him way-back-when... grown-ups need reminding, more than we'd like to admit. And this grown-up... is really quite thankful to re-learn this lesson. Because it is just the way He wants us to live...

...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Unwrapping his laughter on a Tuesday... and happy that Emily provides a place to share it.

lying in wait

It was with great anticipation that I snuck into his bedroom and nestled a chocolate chick next to his alarm clock. I expected him to find it when he tucked in for the night, but I heard no scream of terror. And so I put it of my head for the evening. But this morning…
here he came, all but shouting. Look what was in my room! And then he took it in his hand and crushed it. Little does he know… I have three more.

I suppose it is kind of sick that I enjoy scaring my kids. But my Mom took great pleasure in it… so I figure, I come by it rightly. At least I am not storing scary Halloween masks in the attic for just such a purpose! And these chicks are not scary… not one little bit. But last year, Camden just decided their eyes were a little too wide-eyed and maybe a little freaky. And I can tell you… that it is part of what makes me fall in love with him day after day. That quirky, funny, joyful mind of his… oh, how he makes me laugh!

I may not hide another chick right away… but I will continue on and plan my attacks accordingly. Just because… it is our little thing. And one more way to say I love you… in the the language of a thirteen year old's heart!

Unwrapping my love today… and, a quirky side of my own personality!

the last word

The day begins early here... alarm clocks buzzing hours before the sun begins to light the earth. And I stay tucked into the warmth of our bed, drifting in and out of sleep... while he prepares for his day... ready to head out and save the world. Or at least our small corner of it. My eyes open for a goodbye kiss... and he quietly declares his love and urges me to sleep... just a little more. I hear him at the door, heading out... knowing that he is juggling his gear and his coffee and whatever else will get him through his twelve hour shift. And with arms full of his day, he stops on the other side of the door and I hear the key tumbling the lock... and he has the last word, as it whispers... I love you.

A sound to unwrap...

thirty seconds

I have never believed that medicine is the answer for everything. But once my daughter was diagnosed with ADD, I had to take a chance. A wise and wonderful friend explained it this way... when the doctor told you your daughter needed glasses, you got them for her. It seemed to make sense from that perspective... and we gave it a try. And I was thankful... for her words and for the change in Laura. It made the next experience much easier. I could see the same signs in Camden. But Camden... he was not a medicine-taker. He gagged on every liquid variety and wasn't able to swallow pills... but I so wanted him to have the benefits that ADD medication was giving Laura. And so I researched... and found a medication delivered by a patch. And it was just the thing... for this boy who gave his all and could not get ahead. He excels through his ADD, and we are so thankful... for this little clear square of science. Each morning we stick the patch on his hip and he knows... that it will help him get the most out of his effort. He is probably at an age where he could apply it himself... but it has become a ritual for us. He trims the package with the scissors and I peel and stick... for thirty seconds. And for those thirty seconds, we put our arms around each other for a good morning hug. And it is just one more reason to be thankful...

Even in the midst of my mess... there are gifts to unwrap and cherish. Thanks, Emily... for providing a place for my soul to breathe.

tuesday

Tuesday means Chatting at the Sky... finding the beautiful in the messy. Well, there is plenty of messy around here...

So much, in fact, that I missed last week. No. I really missed it. Because Tuesday is not just about the gifts... it is about the friendships. And I missed the interactions... but I could not get it together. I thought a million thoughts... but not one led me to words. Worse yet... none led me to even be able to see the gifts in my life.

They were there...
-pajamas in the afternoon under my warm quilt just urging the germs away...
-a snuggle with my son, just moments after I had come to the realization that he might not want to snuggle now that he is the big 13...
-Valentine decorations trying to disguise the lingering Christmas, even after the Superbowl...
-the beautiful air that reminds me why I love Florida in the winter...
...but I couldn't seem to get to them. My heart was all clouded with germs and dark clouds... and I had that sinking sadness all around me. A mess so messy that I couldn't sweep it under the carpet.

But then, there was this...
It's a bleak, rainy Tuesday here in North Carolina. No matter. I love Tuesdays, even if the weather is awful. But one of my favorite things to do on Tuesdays is to read your Tuesdays Unwrapped post. I miss you today!

And some of the gray shifted enough so that the sun beams could light a corner or two of this heart.

And a few days later, there was this...
Are you fine? Are you well? I mean it--I miss you. Your words always bless me, and I've missed you a lot this week. I'm hoping that you're doing great, just taking a little break from frequent posting.

And I am reminded again of these real bonds that reach beyond what should be... and just are.

Thank you, Richella... for your friendship and your care. Just seeing you in my mailbox made me smile. Your words? Beyond grace...

true colors

The sky was heavy with gray clouds... leaving our corner of the world covered in a soft layer of mist. Our boys were heading home from overnight camping-without-sleeping... and we were starting to come to life after a full yesterday. But we were warm. And cozy. Inside our safe haven. I feel like coloring she said... and off she went to print a coloring page. Hey... print one for me, too I called after her.
We sat amongst the crayolas... and shared laughter and silence and shades of green.
Fifteen minutes... or so... just us.
She.
And me.

I knew in a flash that this was my Tuesday moment. A scrap of time to treasure... because I cannot turn back the clock...

when morning gilds the sky

Saturday mornings mean getting up early and heading out in the dark... delivering Laura to her volunteer job at the barn. It is a quiet time for the two of us, just waking up... sometimes talking, and sometimes not. But this early bird never minds the time we drive in darkness. The day is just dawning as I drop her to play with the horses and the kids and I head on home. With my thoughts and my music... and the sun beginning its climb. This Saturday morning sky left me breathless...

It was one of those moments when I had no choice but to stop the car and walk back up the bridge... and stand in His glory. Perhaps He created this masterpiece just for me. The layers of gold. The pinks and blues smudged and swirled. And the way it filled the landscape... and gave light to my soul.

When my eyes and lens had had their fill, I continued on... noticing how the clouds had shifted and what had been so extraordinary was now just a pretty sky. And I felt that much more love coming from His heart to mine...

It was Tuesday moment... an ordinary occurance that was spectacularly un-ordinary... and by slowing down and taking the time to fully appreciate the moment, I was given a most beautiful memory.

When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:

May Jesus Christ be praised!

-a favorite hymn