Yesterday, we were at the grocery store picking up the things we needed to make homemade pizza. Dane was dancing and prancing through the isles and talking about everything in a loud and excited voice. He wasn't watching where he was going which got him more attention than normal. Little old ladies and rushed businessmen were having to dodge my 3 year old child who was also covered in chocolate (from his chocolate almonds). Webb was grunting and pointing at everything he wanted. He would gleefully wave at anyone who glanced at him. He is also quite loud. I'm sure if you were 8 rows over, you would have clearly heard me and my gang. I was busy making sure I didn't miss anything on my list along with answering Dane's questions about what we were getting, why we were getting it, and if we could please get his favorite things. I was also trying to side track Webb with various things so he would not want every bright colored box we passed. I looked up and saw a little old lady and her little old husband watching us with far off smiles on their faces. As we neared them, she spoke up and said, "Sweetie, you sure do have your hands full, don't you?" I just smiled and said, "Yes, mam. I sure do". But what I was really thinking about when she said that was a quote I heard a long time ago. It says, "If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart." Now anytime someone says that to me, that is the first thing that comes to my mind.
I got to thinking about that little old lady and her little old husband on my way home. I was thinking about how they were smiling at me, almost as if they were going back in time for those short few seconds we passed. I could tell by the way they were smiling at me that they too agreed that my heart must be full, overflowing even. I could see that at one time, she was me in a grocery store with her loud and wild indians. It made me stop and think how fast life will pass by. Already, Dane is 3! It honest to goodness feels like he should still be my newborn baby boy. The little angel to rescued me. I cannot believe that THREE years have gone by. I know without a doubt, the next 3 years are sure to fly by as well. Then, there is Webb. I feel like just yesterday, I saw the positive pregnancy test and felt the excitement over a new baby. How is it that we just celebrated his 1st birthday??!! One day all too soon, Brent and I will be walking through Ingles, hand in hand (ok... so maybe I made that part up. LOL. But maybe I can talk him into that!) and we will see a young mom with 2 screaming and loud boys. We will stop to stare, watching her shop while trying to control her children. We will smile that same far off smile as we remember back, to what seems like yesterday, when our lives were chaotic, loud, and demanding and we will miss it. I was reminded to stop and enjoy everyday with my children. Even the crazy and insane days when I am tired and they are too. When I wonder I can possibly come up with the next answer to Dane's endless questions and how I can carry Webb for one more minute (because yes, he would rather be carried than to crawl or walk. LOL). The days when Dane is mouthy and moody and Webb is teething and fussy. I must stop and remember that these days will pass far too quickly. One day, Brent and I will be left to ourselves. My house will be quiet. My days will pass slow. There will be no middle of the night alarm clocks. And no one will be demanding my time (or my lap). When that time comes, I want to be able to think back to the times I spent with my children. I don't want to remember being stressed and tired or grumpy and irritated. I want to remember being carefree and silly with them. Cherishing each day the Lord has given me with them. They are only little once. The things that come my way that seem so BIG and stressful and frustrating probably won't matter much when that day comes. I'll wish instead, that I had counted my blessings a little more often.
So for now, I chose to think about not how full my hands are, but how full my heart is. I chose to hold my babies a little extra longer. Kiss them one extra time. Sit on the floor and play for a few more minutes before getting onto my chores. Read one more story before bedtime. And think about how much my cup runneth over.
A friend of mine on FB had someone walk up to her in the grocery store today and say the very same thing that was said to me yesterday. I LOVED her response and it has given me a new motto.... My Cup Runneth Over.
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