Hourglass

It's a blink of an eye. That's what they say. That is what "they" have been saying since the beginning of time. It's an expression that feels all the more real as I watch my own children grow. 

Today is Hannah's birthday. I can't believe she is two already. But, then again, I can believe it because she acts like a two year old. She can be so funny and so exhausting all at the same time. She tells me she is poopy, gets close enough for me to check, but if I am not quick enough, she darts away from me laughing her head off like Chucky. It's a devilish little laugh that she has adopted for whenever she knows she is being naughty but doesn't care enough about the consequence to stop her actions. Like I said, she is funny and exhausting. She is so sweet with Jon Mark, though. She butters him up like a piece of hot toast.

Hannah loves Caleb. She is sMOTHERing to him all the time. She loves sitting by him constantly, which makes it difficult to place him anywhere except for his pack-n-play. She is constantly putting his pacifier in his mouth whether he wants it or not. She sure does love him.

This newborn of mine, the one that resembles a little old man fairly well, is almost two months old. Blink of an eye. It happened fast. Long hours turned into short weeks, and now he is almost two months. Time must be bendable.

I love this one, he looks scared or something. It makes me smile.

Lukey Bear, Rescue Boy sure hasn't been quite himself recently. I try to remember that it may be because his throat hurts from the surgery, but it has been hard to be patient. He whines and cries quite a bit and refuses to talk. When he does talk, his speech is slurred because he doesn't open his mouth too much. It isn't always, only when he must be hurting. He has some killer breath, too. From the surgery, of course.

This little lady was crying yesterday because she found out that Bear, Sawyer, and Evie were getting babysat by Uncle Nick and Muffin. She wanted to be babysat as well. I told her she couldn't and she began to throw a little fit. I kind of exasperated that she may have to go with me to my Relief Society meeting, but that that was "up in the air", meaning that if Jon Mark made it home in time, then he'd be able to watch her and she wouldn't have to go with me. A few minutes later, she sat down next to me and said that she was excited to go with me, but she wanted to know how we would get there. I had forgotten about the conversation and asked what she was talking about. She said, "it sounds like fun to go to the meeting that is up in the air. But, how will we get to it if it is up in the air". I think she was disappointed when I explained what the expression meant.

Joshua lost his tooth the other day. I could have cried. I LOVED the gap he had in his baby teeth and I have loved that gap for nearly 8 years. It just felt a little too bittersweet. He was excited, he pulled it out himself. The tooth fairy didn't forget about him this time and gave him a whole dollar. 

Yesterday, we were driving to give an envelope with money in it to my friend Leyla. Her husband has cancer all over his body. The kids had asked me what was in the envelope and I explained that Leyla and Andy are going though a difficult time and that we wanted to show them that we cared by giving them some money. Joshua said that he bets Leyla is scared and sad right now. He asked what she would do if Andy didn't get better. I said that I didn't know because Andy is the provider for his family. He then said, "well, I guess Leyla will have to start a farm and grow some wheat, farmers make good money." I told him that starting a farm takes a lot of money and besides that, Leyla doesn't know how to farm. For every problem that I presented with his idea, he gave a solution. Finally, after going back and forth for a time, he said in a frustrated tone, "well, mom, if it is the only way..." He has a big heart.

My mom shared a song with me the other day that reminded me of all my children, but especially Joshua because of his strong sense of imagination. He loves telling me about his plans and carries on quite a bit when he is in his imaginative world. I have since listened to it many times, and I may or may not have cried my eyes out. This song so adequately says what I wish I knew how to say. It's by Mindy Gledhill and it is called Hourglass. 

Little boy, when you speak
I can’t help but kiss your cheeks
I love the way you grab my hands
And tell me all about your plans

Rocket high, comets fly
You and I could hitch a ride
And fly away to Neverland
And give our best to Peter Pan

When you reach for the stars
Don’t forget who you are
And please don’t turn around and grow up way too fast
See the sand in my grasp
From the first to the last
Every grain becomes a memory of the past
Oh, life’s an hourglass
Life’s an hourglass

Story’s read, prayer is said
Close your eyes sleepyhead
While angels linger in your dreams
And hold you in their feathered wings
Just like you, I was small
Not that long ago at all
I wish you all the happiness
That God gives freely if you ask

When you reach for the stars
Don’t forget who you are
And please don’t turn around and grow up way too fast
See the sand in my grasp
From the first to the last
Every grain becomes a memory of the past
Oh, life’s an hourglass
Life’s an hourglass