Hot Days and Sweet Memories

Hi Friends!

I love the "on this day" feature that Facebook has. I enjoy getting to see how much my children have grown and how much my life has changed. I have shared old stories before and I'm sure there are many more to share. Here is one special day I was reminded of and hope I don't forget.

"Harper went down for a nap right around lunch time today. I was so happy! Naps have been a real struggle since we moved. I encouraged lunch to go as fast as it could for Ella and I with the hopes that MAYBE I'd get a few minutes of quiet. Just as Ella was about to head upstairs for a nap, I brewed a cup of coffee, confident that I would get at least 5-10 minutes of quiet to enjoy it. As I was kissing Ella and telling her sweet dreams I thought to myself, "forget the coffee, I'll lay down for a nap!" I quickly came downstairs to refill my water and ran back upstairs, as quietly as humanly possible. I I turned on the fan, fluffed the pillow, checked the monitor, to see that both girls were really in bed. I sat on the bed, took a deep breath and gave myself a little encouragement. "Things are getting better. She's napping. She'll start sleeping through the night again soon. I can do this. Just a little power nap and I'll have lots of energy this afternoon. Okay get some sleep while you can." That's what I said to myself. That's the happiness I felt as I let myself lay down on that nice fluffy bed. The sound of the fan, the breeze, and.... The UPS TRUCK!! OOOOOOOOHHHH NOOOOO! Just as my head hit the pillow I heard that vile engine revving it's way up the hill and just as I expected it was quickly followed by the whaling of my sleep deprived, teething 6 month old! Why for the love of everything good and rested does that ugly, brown truck come up our hill every day during nap time?

Of course when I walked in little baby Harper's room she instantly stopped crying and replaced her turned out lip with the biggest, almost no longer, toothless grin. Arms and legs flailing outward, waiting to hold her comfy momma. She wrapped me in the biggest hug her little body could muster and opened her mouth wide for a big cheek slobber kiss. Her giggles made my exhausted frustration melt away. Down the stairs we went. My coffee greeted me with its sweet aroma and I'm now enjoying the quiet of a nursing baby and a warm cup. Maybe naps are over rated. Maybe spending time with each girl, while the other naps, is more important right now. Coffee though. Coffee is my trusty companion.

Of course when I walked in little baby Harper's room she instantly stopped crying and replaced her turned out lip with the biggest, almost no longer, toothless grin. Arms and legs flailing outward, waiting to hold her comfy momma. She wrapped me in the biggest hug her little body could muster and opened her mouth wide for a big cheek slobber kiss. Her giggles made my exhausted frustration melt away. Down the stairs we went. My coffee greeted me with its sweet aroma and I'm now enjoying the quiet of a nursing baby and a warm cup. Maybe naps are over rated. Maybe spending time with each girl, while the other naps, is more important right now. Coffee though. Coffee is my trusty companion."

My, oh my, how things have changed. When I read this my first thoughts were how much I miss having a nursing baby and how I still have a love affair going on with coffee.  Second, how I miss living in Hawaii. When I was living in this moment I was overwhelmed with the heat and loosing the comfort of central air. I still think back and remember how miserable some days were, but now the things that stand out in my mind, about living on Pulelo Street, are how beautiful my yard was and how gorgeous the ocean and mountains looked from the upstairs windows.

It's a nice reminder that we should look for the joy in each day. Although every moment can't be lovely and rememberable, if the overall temperament of our life is looking upwards, then when we look back we will remember the beauty and not the frustrations of the day to day. We can remember the sweet cuddles of our cute children and not the hot temperatures and loud UPS trucks.

So now I will go and play with my children and look at their sweet little faces as they tell me stories and imagine a world from the comfort of the play room. I'll try not to dwell on the piles and piles of clean laundry that needs folding or the floors that need swept. Today, or at least for the next half hour, I will focus on the good and not the bad, in hopes that when I look back on this day, several years from now, I'll remember it as a good day.

Cheers!

Sarah 

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