Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Baby Shoes

I readily admit my best work comes from last minute situations. I love the quote from one of our shows we watch, "Yesterday's lazy cures today's crazy". Last minute in the morning..."Girls, look in that clean basket, you have some pants folded in there." Bam.  So much more efficient than sending out a search party (ahem, me) for that pair in the closet.  Again, BAM!  (Insert that favorite quote just mentioned.)

So as I'm cleaning up today I came across something that reminded me about something else that was born from my lazy side. A little white baby sock that somehow made it into my bedroom. (I don't ask questions anymore about the weird that happens in this house.  Strange things sometimes show up in crazy places and I chalk it all up to having children.)

Now you're probably reading this and thinking how you have it all together, your house is organized and you get high on life from cleaning your house and fluffing. I love you but I cannot relate.  I barely hang on, OK?  There are still a few baby dresses in my daughters closet, I tell you she's 5, friends.  She is 5 years old and some of those clothes don't fit, but I consider them "heirloom" and I hope to see them on their babies one day, if they want babies and if it all happens like I dream, ok?  (Hold your judgement and come help me already.)  

In my defense, I should also tell you they share clothes already and I lump all their clothes together- winter in one girl's closet, summer in the other's.  (Again, this might be a nightmare if you are organized.  I *try out* organization at times but most of the time we just  roll with it.) So you probably aren't surprised to find out that we have a tiny laundry room/mud room/utility closet where the shoes are kept that mostly remains a tad cluttered.  Now it's not terribly overcrowded, but one pair of baby shoes remain.  

These baby shoes I initially kept out of sheer exhaustion.  If you are reading this you know what a chore change of seasons is for a mom.  How sometimes you'd much rather play with your kids than sort shoes or move clothes in or out.  So these shoes just stayed.  Now they remain on a little shelf.

They are pink (shocker) and they are leather. They belonged to my littlest.  They were her first pair of shoes and they matched everything she had.  I still see her toddling in these shoes and giggling with only a few teeth, her curls just a bouncing on top of her sweet little head.  I remember taking them off her warm little feet in the winter, same white little socks under them, similar to the sock I found in my room.  Then taking her up to nap, where she mostly would rather giggle with me in the rocker than actually take a nap.  Sweet little feet, sweet little days.  (PS:  She still would rather giggle with me than sleep.) 

So I realize they need putting away, but they stay.  I have a memory box for each child.  But, they serve as a reminder, just for this mama.  

They remind me of the sweet little years.  How I was anxious at times how I'd actually be as a mom.  I realized early on I was and am never qualified for this job.  But Our precious sweet Lord had other plans. He chose me for the best little girls in the world. (perfectly biased)  They remind me I don't have it together and this thing called parenting is precarious to put it nicely, scary to be honest, and it's meant to be that way so I fall in God's arms and trust.  

They remind me my littles are still under construction. God is working in their lives, their hearts, and He allows me to help.  Seeing little shoes when disciplining them reminds me they belong to the Lord.  And they were bought with a price.  They are precious in His sight and this parenting thing is not on me alone.  I am responsible for nurturing and loving them and sending them off.  He's got them.  

They remind me He has big things planned for them.  Thank you God I get to be a part of it.  They remind me it's not all about me, or my husband, but sitting at the feet of Jesus waiting expectantly for Him to knock their socks off, too, with His love.  Regardless of how big those socks are:)

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