Our Lives

So, every time for the last few weeks that I've sat down to blog I've been interrupted. Or sidetracked. Or without words. 

I have lots of pictures and stories and anecdotes and ideas. Just not the capacity to make any sense of them because of little people that are always around me or because I have "I can't string together a meaningful thought because my mind is shot and it's too late in the day for coffee" brain.

Maybe you understand.

Or maybe you don't.

And maybe it doesn't matter either way.

I've done 431 loads of laundry this week while listening to broken, off-pitch versions of Let It Go 928 times from a certain four-year old. 

I've wiped counters and swept crumbs 739 times while listening to "I'm still hungry. Can I have another snack?" questions 1,832 times from two certain growing men. 

I've picked up toys and re-stacked tupperware containers 895 times while simultaneously watching a certain one-year old empty and disorganize them.

This is my life.

My boys play hard and play loud. Their clothes get muddy - filthy muddy - every time they go outside. Their shoes, a mere two months old, are ripped and soles are peeling. Their bikes and scooters have accumulated a lot of miles and scuffs. Their sports balls are torn and faded because they are kicked and bounced and thrown everysingleday. 

My little girl is bossiness and helpfulness and prissiness and tomboyishness all rolled into one hot mess. She's half her older brother's age and has no hesitancy in telling them what to do. She's a tender four years old and I depend on her help with meals and laundry and Jax way more than I do my boys. She dons a fairy outfit and glitter wings while traipsing in the backyard catching roly-polys and lizards. 

My littlest man is an always-moving and always-curious toddling person who balks at the idea of playing by himself. His blur of motion is manageable only because of those beautiful three hours of napping each day. His insistence on being with other people is tolerated only because of those darling eyes and that precious smile. His constant curiosity has resulted in our family saying, on many occasions, "Jax was a good little boy and always very curious. One day, Jax and..."

This is their lives.

We're well past the half-way point of the school year and, in some areas, on the home stretch. We're wrapping up a season of basketball and preparing for a new season of gymnastics and swimming. We've got spring break plans made and are deciding on which camps and VBS programs to join this summer. 

We're happy to do life together each and every day because that's all we know. We're sometimes irritated to do life together each and every day because that's all we know. We're learning patience and joy are choices. We're learning loving other people is sometimes really hard. We're learning serving others before self takes a lot of practice.

We're trying to pray for new things and trust God in new ways. We're looking for people who understand and relationships that develop to friendships. We're thankful for today and hopeful for tomorrow. 

These are our lives.