If you are joining today from my personal page on Facebook and would like to continue to receive updates when I post fresh, go to the sidebar and click that you “Like” Draw Near – blog on Facebook. Or, if you’re viewing this from a smart phone, it might be easier for you to click here to visit Facebook where you can “Like” Draw Near.
I am close enough to feel the joy waft from the table like scents of a good meal.
My oldest Sici and youngest Lala gather tight around the end of the dining room table with their friend “Em.” J is at a friend’s house, and I sit on the couch reading a book, mostly so I can hear the sounds of their play without interfering.
Every so often, Sici looks over her shoulder at me across the room, and we grin.
The ten-year-old friends, both just shy of 11, and four-year-old little sister act out a circus with small wooden figures connected to sticks, dancing across a lilting particleboard stage, talking in silly voices.
“Would you like to see the lion or the monkey, kids?” the ringmaster booms.
The three girls are laughing so hard, and the big top is getting a little rowdy, with the clown on the verge of permanently losing his nose, the monkey’s ear dangling precariously.
I am thinking of how Sici and Em started their playdate with a rousing game of hide-and-seek, tucking themselves in the back of the closet, in the armoire, under the bed. I helped Lala count to 40 so she could go find the big girls.
I can hardly believe they want to spend their playdate this way. The games of early childhood when they are right on the cusp of big. And it makes my heart painfully happy.
I want them to stay here long enough for me to remember every turn of those wooden lion accents, the way Sici wore a black low-top Converse and a high-top red one with a teal blue headband to school today, and her friend flashed a wide braces smile between goofball voices.
I want to remember the way she and Em spanned the years to Lala’s four like it was only a day.
Today, I’m meeting again with the community of Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo Baker’s Tales from a Gypsy Mama for some free writing. We follow the prompt, refrain from extreme editing, write for five minutes and encourage each other’s free-flowing offerings. Write with us? This post began with the prompt STAY.
Connecting through the power of stories written, spoken and lived
Beautiful! As the mother of girls I love those times when the big one includes the little one, and some days I long for them to stay this way forever, even though I know it’s impossible. Great post!
It’s a constant mix, isn’t it? That desire to see them grow and become all they’re meant to be and that longing for them to stay put. You’re right, particularly when my girls are including each other and enjoying each other, I never want this time to change. Thanks for your comment and visit today!
So very bittersweet – but you sound like you’re doing everything right with motherhood with the fact that your girls play together so beautifully, and your oldest isn’t dipping her toes into pre-teen play too quickly….
You’re so kind, Fiona. We have our moments, that’s for sure. :-) Thankfully, my oldest enjoys being right where she is, not a huge itch to get bigger. It sure does help with her two younger sisters following right behind.
Why does it go so fast, my friend? Beautifully captured. SO nice to meet you, Ashley. Please tell me this- did you make the collage at the top of your blog? I love it! I am a collage girl, myself so just am happy with snippets, scissors , glue and random bits pasted together. Following you via FB now!
Thanks, Dawn! Yes, that collage was a fun weekend project for me. I actually made a whole bunch of them in different colors — I, too, am a big collage girl. I’ve written about it a few times here. “Live Fully Awake” is a post I wrote with pictures of one-color collages I did that same weekend. I also wrote about my love of snippets and random bits, as you say, in an early piece, “Savoring the Lovely.” Thanks so much for your “follow.” Happy to meet you!
By the way, Dawn, what do you usually do with your collage? The whole process is so fun, but I never really “do” anything with them. I’ve thought of framing some, but never have. You?
This brought me into your home and into your life, your world so tenderly. I know you better still through your children and through your words. I love it when you write of your precious wee ones. Savoring childhood with you…savoring youth today too in my heart.
Thank you, Elizabeth. It’s so good for me to write about them, to hold these moments with my precious wee ones before they pass me by. Love how writing preserves what can feel so fleeting. Bless you, friend.
Beautiful reflection on your kids.
Thanks so much.
Thanks for this! So often I find myself thinking of my kids, “why won’t they just grow up.” Then I get caught up in beautiful moments like these and wish I could just hold on a little longer. Really beautiful.
I hear you, I definitely hear you. The challenge of pressing on — forward and onward — and appreciating the beauty of this present moment. Thank you so much for your words.
Please tell me why I cry when I read this. Opened my heart up and spilled it’s contents on the floor.
Moments like these break the heart in the tenderest of ways! I’m so grateful that you are savouring moments like these in your heart, like the treasure they are. And, Ashley, bless you for sharing them with us (as Elizabeth said, bringing us into your home)…the sun shines on us because of them!
(ps…so beautifully written!)
Oh, Mama. Maybe you cry partly because you know how quickly this all goes. I can barely stand it sometimes myself. Thank you for hearing my heart and affirming me in that place of mama love. These moments are treasures.
Ashley, how do you capture so much in just 5 little minutes? My insides always get so tenderly stirred when I read your words–it feels like a direct conversation between my heart & yours.
These, precious, ordinary moments–what a treasure they are. I love how you tuck them inside, how you sip & savor…
Thank you for the beauty of you, dear one.
Thank you so much, my friend. I’m thankful for these places of connection and for the ability to write it down so as not to forget. Sending you much love.
Hi sweet Ashley
I can just sense our Pappa looking at us having a fun time with Five Minute Friday and rejoicing about His children loving each other, just like you with your little ones!
Thanks for your words of joy!
Much love to you
Mia
It is a joy to just write, isn’t it? Thank you, Mia.
Ash, I can picture you, curled up in the corner of your couch, savoring this inconspicuously with a book and your ears perked… and I love it. I love how you capture these moments like photo snapshots, and warm my heart in just a few paragraphs. And my heart, too, feels the pang of memories, of how I was like this, delighting in those sweet & simple childhood joys on the cusp of being big. Your girls seem to bubble joy through these stories and what a treat for you to revel here with them.
Yes — “how I was like this…on the cusp of being big.” Oh, this makes me want to cry. Thank you, Amber.
Your writing always draws me right in, Ash.
I loved this.
Thank you, Kath. And yours.
So lovely…and yes, savor every second ;)