Brave steps
Only a few
Before glancing
Back toward home-
Home, that place
Of security
Holding and pushing
A beautiful ebb and flow-
You are seeking
Freedom
Independence
While she watches
Searching for the balance
Between protecting
And letting go
It’s not an easy trek
But wrapped in love
The path will show itself-
Your head tilts slightly
Curiosity taking its
Rightful Place
In your thoughts
She smiles curiously
Joy taking its
Rightful Place
In her heart
Tag: family
What is Love?
It begins
With a clear
Statement
Of rules and
Regulations-
Wait.
Is that right?
I don’t think
That sounds right
A newborn baby
Senses it
Responds to it
Before comprehending
The security
That will grow
From a foundation
Built on trust
Parents express it
With gestures
And words
Unconditional
Yet, still growing
In their understanding
Of its power
As it is received
Without question-
What is love?
It is a commitment
To the messy
And the beautiful
The Unexpected
And the routine
As simple as your smile
And the light in your eyes
Washing away my fears
In the Stitches
I have described it before
A safety net
Of people and memories
Sewn together with care
Each stitch increasing
The vastness and strength
Of the shelter
Fashioning a living
Security blanket
To wrap me
And those I love
In the knowledge that
We are never alone-
Now grown
I see myself in the stitches
Understanding even more
The comfort and
Encouragement
In this welcoming refuge
Where whether weak or strong
I am never out of place
Simply Sunday on a Monday
Seven to one
A perfect ratio
For an early morning
Trip to the zoo
Seven adults
And one little girl
Each one ready to explore
Her Aunt and Uncles
Mom and Dad
Gigi and Papa, too
I can’t think
Of a more perfect way
To spend the day, can you?
My heart is full after a weekend with all the kids and grandbaby. Lots of laughter and playing and eating. And our first trip to the zoo with Miss Emi. Now it’s time for a nap! 😉❤️
Miss You
So many things
Missing from today
Your smiling eyes
Listening as we sing
Happy Birthday to you!
Hearing your most sincere
Thank you, I love you –
But mostly, I’m just missing you
Today would have been Dad’s 80th birthday. We love and miss him so much! But remembering his life makes us smile. 💙
Simply Sunday
Reasons to Smile
The dense morning haze
Weighed heavy on my
Foggy morning brain
Forcing sad thoughts
To the surface-
No way around
Muddling through
The middle would
Have to do
The haze gave way
To mid-morning layers
Of grays and whites
Overlapping, continually
Trading places until
Swaths of baby blue
Smiled through the gaps–
And with no hesitation
I smiled back
Sometimes we all need a reminder of our many reasons for smiling. Time with family is one of my favorite reasons. 💗
Measures
Relief, joy, calm
Emotions experienced
In different measure
At the births of
Our three children –
Circumstances varied greatly
Each one a miracle-
Whether feeling
Relief, joy, or calm
Thankfulness covered us
Like a warm blanket –
And each miraculous time
Love was the binding
That wrapped each stitch
The gentle hand
That collected each tear
While changing each diaper
Our children know their stories. They’ve heard them more than once. And they know each other’s stories. If asked, they could choose which emotion most closely matches their birth. They are also the best at describing each other’s personalities.
I’m thankful they call me Mom. ❤️
What is the Point?
I am looking forward to spending this long holiday weekend with Mom. I am certain we will go out for lunch and to Starbucks. Oh, and probably eat ice cream. 😉 Where we go and what we do isn’t the point though. The point is spending time.
Being back where I grew up allows me time for reflecting. And in those reflections, new memories are added. With that in mind, I decided to re-share two poems I wrote several years ago.
Happy Independence Day!
Safety Net
Grandma and Grandpa
Lived next door
Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins
Numbering in double digits
Big kids played
With little kids
Running and laughing
Growing stronger
And bigger with
Each passing year
An unspoken truth
That no matter
How far I fell
Someone would catch me-
Like a little child
Bouncing on a knee
Ride a little horsey
Don’t fall down-
A truth that remains
Despite passing time
And increasing distance-
A living safety net
Interwoven from one
Generation to the next
Fourth of July
He worked hard
His entire life
Married young
Raised nine kids
In the country
Strong and stubborn
Loved to laugh
Mellowed over time-
Without a doubt
Dealt with struggles
That I never knew-
I still see him
On the porch
In his overalls
After a long day
Promising to dance
At my wedding
If I will check the mail-
Liked to argue
Loved his family
Was always ready
To welcome them home-
Looking forward to
Family gathering later
That very day-
But in the morning
While everyone slept
After waking early
And making the coffee
He sat down in his
Favorite chair
At the young age of sixty-seven
Grandpa died on the Fourth of July
Simply Sunday
It is sometimes difficult to slow down in our busy world. Phrases like Just Breathe and Smell the Roses are commonly shared. Easy to say. I hesitate to offer similar advice. And certainly don’t suggest missing an event by trying to capture every moment. But when something catches your eye or your heart, it’s okay to stop and take the picture. 📸
Fifteen Minutes or a Lifetime
Ideas and actions
Some good
Some not so good
Often designed
To bring fame
Even if only
Fifteen minutes worth
Fifteen minutes
Or a lifetime
Eventually, the attention
Rings hollow-
I used to think
I’d like to be a rockstar
Wearing rockstar clothes
Playing piano on stage
But now, I’m grateful
That I get to be
A friend
An encourager
Someone who cries
During sad movies
And laughs at
Her husband’s jokes-
Someone who plays piano
Singing a simple song
Smiling as her granddaughter
Stands nearby swaying
Back and forth to the music…
Piano Girl 