The day Left me Deep In thought A day Covered In warm Sunlight And falling Leaves Sweet life in Your small hand Holding mine As we walked across Yellowing grass Rosy cheeks Squinting eyes As you reached up For me to lift you As you reached up And touched The red leaves Clinging To the tree A day Covered In life While also Holding space For death- I am left Thankful Clinging To rest
A Warm Blanket
Just like that The red leaves Greeting me With a smile Every day for weeks Fell to the ground Their days of Waving In the wind Left behind A few remain But if I asked I’m sure they Would admit Being ready To let go And join The others- Though I knew The day was Approaching That red blanket Was a surprise I felt sad For a moment Until I imagined The warm grass Underneath
Look at you Standing there Confidently Exposed Pieces of your Outer shell Left shimmering In the light Gentle reminder Of what was Before The release Of all that Was heavy Smiling at Passersby No longer Concerned With hiding What is Underneath Instead Baring a gift Story of Transformation- Beauty may Only be Skin deep But love And truth Grace your roots
Driving to the hospital this morning, I couldn’t help noticing the trees. Colors are still beautiful, though beginning to fade. A birch tree caught my eye. Only a few of its yellow leaves remained. As the leaves fluttered, I smiled. Look at you! 😊
My dad has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I had heard this term but now have a better understanding. It does not happen overnight. And though treatable, it does not go away. He is breathing easier and hence feeling better. Doctors are working on a treatment plan which hopefully includes going home soon.
Not having a definite timeline is frustrating. But that is ok. Life is precious. And I continue to be thankful for our time together. ❤️
Months on the calendar Always the same Each day moving At the same speed No single one Able to outrun Another Logic says it’s so So why is it All of me From head To heart To toes Feels surprised When certain Times arrive? In the heat Of summer It seemed October Would never Show its face Yet here it is Teasing us With hints of Cool breezes And hopes for Beautiful colors I’m sure to be Just as surprised When it says goodbye
Stood outside In the rain Today Don’t do that Often enough Drops dampened My dress Frizzed My hair Cooled My skin The beginning Farewell Of Summer Blurring with The beginning Hello Of Fall Not that I would Recommend Standing In the rain Every day Only every Now and then To wash away What needs Washing away
Rain began to fall right as school ended today. This made for a damp dismissal. I had a few moments of irritation but then thought of this common phrase; a little rain never hurt anyone.
It certainly did not hurt me today. And it reminded me how quickly the seasons pass.
Sweltering heat Suffocated The entire Afternoon One step Outside And I was Immobile In the still Stifling air Surely, I Would not Wish away A summer day- Quite The change From early This morning When, after One look At the calendar I realized Summer was Slipping away And began Wishing It would last Just A little Longer- Now I wonder How many days Will pass before A cool breeze Blows the wisps Of loose hair In my messy Ponytail
To stand free Arms stretched Wide, bare Not afraid to Reveal scars Admit failings Like the leafless Tree-branches Waving in the Autumn breeze Its colors displayed Only yesterday Now a quaint Carpet covering The cold earth Trusting the sun To supply light And warm its Exposed form Confident knowing Beautiful green Foliage returns In the Spring For truth says Time is brief And honestly Standing sets free
Sleepy eyes Sun shines in Warms the body Mends the heart An intentional Slowing down Taking time to Look around Notice each Speck of color Hear each Color of sound Listen as the Breezy melody Sings with the Shifting winds Watch as it Compels the Changing leaves To wave hello
Daydream Believer by The Monkees. Kelley Morris, piano
This was the number one song on Billboard Charts the day I was born. Seems appropriate. 😉 ❤
I have a favorite photo of me and the kids. I remember the day it was taken. It was quickly snapped by a friend, not the result of a professional photoshoot.
Look at those sweet faces! ❤
Everyone is looking in different directions. We are tired and messy. And yet, it remains my top pick.
The picture always surfaces this time of year. When I saw it this morning, I began to think about what it represents-an honest reflection of one day in the life of a young, stay-at-home mom.
That particular day was far from perfect. I remember having a migraine earlier that afternoon. The medicine I took made me sleepy. I also remember my husband, Gart, was not be able to attend the fall festival with us. He had a graduate school class that night. That meant I had three kids to get ready for the evening festivities by myself.
With the help of some friends, we made it to the party. Everyone had a costume. Robert was Superman, Rachel-Tigger, and Ryan-a baby bumblebee. The kids had fun playing games, spending time with friends, and collecting candy. If you look closely, you can see their candy buckets hanging on the handles of Ryan’s stroller.
My friend took the picture at the end of the evening. I remember collapsing onto the floor. The kids just naturally settling in my lap. Three tired kids and one tired mom. Yet in the picture, I am still smiling.
After considering the story surrounding my favorite photo, I am left with this truth: A perfect picture has more to do with the memories it evokes than with the image itself.
Our picture is beautifully imperfect. It reminds me of a busy and challenging time in my life. A time I would not trade for all the perfect pictures in the world.