"I thought you would like this" he said to me, "because I liked it when I saw it and you like nature sciences like me, so I thought you could wear it and when you get bored you could study it."
It was the grossest, sweetest present I've ever received.
One night a few months ago as we were putting the kids to bed......after a delicious family dinner, scripture study, snuggle time, a long story from Dad, spontaneous around the circle compliment giving and a thousand "I love you's" and kisses.......the time came to turn out the lights and sleep.
A request was made.
It was not granted.
At which point came the comment from multiple little mouths "you're mean" and "nobody loves me."
Ben and I looked at each other and laughed.
Really?
As Ben turned around to face the critics, he said "Are you kidding me children, THIS (waving his arms to include the whole atmosphere of the home) is what love looks like."
I have thought a lot about this the past couple of months.
What love looks like.
Love is really much simpler than the world makes it out to be.
It is definitely less self serving.
It is having someone to come home to.
Someone to eat breakfast with.
And play with.
All day. Everyday.
Because they live down the hall.
Someone to scratch your back when you watch movies.
Someone constant, even when life changes.
Someone who will sit in time out with you so you don't cry.
Someone who doesn't go anywhere when you make a mistake, they just hurry and forgive you so you can play together again.
love is unconditional.
It is knowing somebody so well, you can look at their face and know what they need.
Love is caring about somebody.
When seeing them smile, makes you smile.
Love is simple.
Small, everyday, consistent moments,
That make up a life of being loved.
It is feeling a part of something Eternal.
Love is thinking about someone else.
.......and saving a chicken bone from your school lunch because you think it will make them happy.
And love is wearing a chicken bone necklace.
As I near the end of my pregnancy and the sacrifice starts to feel especially heavy, I think about this.
This idea of love.
Because I really do consider it a gift to them.
This gift of someone to love, and to be loved by.
To add to this circle.
Another little person to have their back for life.
Another sweet friendship about to be born.
I think about this.
This act of love.
And it seems to make getting up to pee all night just a little easier.
4 comments:
Love it!!! sooo true... :)
Loved every single thing about this post. You are so darling. When is this baby coming?!
What a great post! Most of all I loved all the pictures of my darling nieces and nephew...(and I am beginning to think that we will NEVER see a pic of soon-to-be-here nephew before he is born! I demand a prego pic!)
I too laugh after a day where basically the world was given to the children and yet injustice prevails as they are denied requests after lights out. How quickly the joys of the day are forgotten. I am reminded of something I read that said it is kind of normal for kids to not really show gratitude for those kind of basic things that are done form them/given to them (dinner, stories, play time, snuggles) if it is the norm in their household. They said it is a good sign because it means that to them that is just reality, being loved and well taken care of and they almost do realize till a little later in life that the fact that they could expect those things was a blessing and that they were lucky. I think that was how I felt growing up...love, happiness, being cared for were all "normal" things, and thus, taken for granted. If only that didn't also come with nightly requests!
That was longer than intended :)
Point being...I think love IS a lot like a chicken bone necklace! Such a great story.
Casey
Well said my lovely cousins! Everyday love is as real as it gets. I'm with Casey, I demand a prego photo too. How must we enforce this...maybe we could declare creepy threats like those terrible chain letters; "You will have 7 days bad luck if not". Ok, no bad luck:)
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