Birthday ramblings

So hard to believe Lexie turned two Monday. The girls asked me.. "What time was she born?"
I said, "I don't know, I'll have to look at her birth certificate." For a moment-just a moment..there was a sadness over the fact that because I did not give birth to her, I don't have that first "birth" day memory to hold on to. But the sadness was immediately overcome by an overwhelming sense of gratitude that at just one week old, the Lord placed this precious little girl in our family.
As we sang happy birthday over cupcakes and a room full of balloons, As Lexie excitedly listened to her Daddy and her grandparents sing to her on the phone...As she flew to the door ready with hugs for her other grandparents...At supper as we bowed our heads and Lexie called out, "Daddy, mommy, cissy, mae mae, bubby, food...thank you...AMEN"...As she ran through the house all day shouting, "Birthday, birthday, birthday...two, two, two!!!" The amazing mix of joy, peace and thankfulness that came over me almost brought me to tears.

However many birthdays I get to celebrate with each of my children, Lord thank you for the gift of these days..for the gift of these children...for cupcakes and balloons...muddy footprints and snotty noses...messy rooms and clogged up toilets...army men underfoot and knitting stuff everywhere...pla-dough in the carpet and marbles in the washing machine....dirty socks..40 of them ..in the toybox...sticky handmade cards with glitter all over them...sweet notes that say "thank you mom"...toothpaste on the doorknob....late night fevers and gag reflexes in response to medicine...the same book for the 44th time....one million questions... one million more questions....Lord, thank you for this gift of motherhood-for all the ups and downs-for choosing me, to mother them. Lord, help me today, and everyday to show more of you to each of them-in the cooking, cleaning, teaching, wiping, correcting, playing,, singing, living.....How much I fall short each day...how thankful I am that you love me anyway. Thank you for the gift of another day, to try again....

Happy Birthday, Sweet Lexie...we love you so much!