“The giraffe has a long, black tongue,” J reads aloud to Lala.
They laugh as they look at the picture.
J continues, her voice patient and gentle as she reads from the just delivered kids’ nature magazine.
“The harvest mouse is the weight of a pencil. Here, let me go get a pencil, Lala, so you can see what that feels like,” J says.
A moment later, Lala’s feet pad to the kitchen. She is holding a pencil up at me and smiling big.
“Mama, feel this. Can you believe a harvest mouse is so little?”
Lala runs back to the couch.
“The harvest mouse makes a nest the size of a baseball,” J reads. “Wait here, Lala, I’ll be right back.”
J returns from the basement with a baseball, turning it in her hand to feel the size.
“Here, Lala, this is how big a harvest mouse nest is!”
“Wow,” Lala answers.
Little feet pad to the kitchen. “Mama, this is the size of a harvest mouse nest!” Lala says, and then runs back to the couch.
I spend so much time teaching my girls how to be together and can feel a failure as they elbow for their own way, gripe about who “always” gets to fasten her seatbelt across the car’s center row first, when they ignore and boss and pick.
All of this is learning to be together, too, I know.
But here as I chop vegetables, I hold the tender beauty of right here. My girls reading, teaching and listening, sharing a blanket, a magazine and a simple memory on the couch together, and with me.
_________
Joining up today with the lovely Five Minute Friday peeps at Lisa-Jo’s.
This is Day 25 of Right Here. Throughout October, I’m joining with a community of bloggers (linking up with The Nester) — all of whom are writing each day of the month about a topic of their choosing. To find all posts in 31 Days of Right Here, click here, or see the listing below.
To continue receiving these daily words, subscribe to this blog on the sidebar at left, click here to Like Draw Near on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @AshleyMLarkin. I am immensely grateful to share the journey with you.
POSTS IN THE SERIES
An introduction: Welcome to 31 Days of Right Here
Day 1: For You, Too
Day 2: Fear’s Invitation
Day 3: My Portion
Day 4: Five Minute Friday: Write
Day 5: Rise and Shine
Day 6: My Joys Mount As Do the Birds
Day 7: A Mother’s Fierce Love
Day 8: When Life’s A Mad Rush – How To Slow Time
Day 9: The Fight For Right Here Told Through Two Tales of Epic Whining (Part I)
Day 10: The Fight For Right Here Told Through Two Tales of Epic Whining (Part II)
Day 11: Five Minute Friday: Ordinary
Day 12: When Right Here’s A Mess
Day 13: O God, We Thank You
Day 14: The Date That Almost Wasn’t
Day 15: One Thing That Makes Us Human
Day 16: That We Might See And Remember
Day 17: In Which I Hit A Wall
Day 18: Five Minute Friday: Laundry
Day 19: When You Can’t Hold All The Moments
Day 20: Let Me Walk In Beauty
Day 21: Tend This Seed
Day 22: Just One More Click Away
Day 23: A Reset
Day 24: What We Hold
Day 25: Five Minute Friday: Together
Connecting through the power of stories written, spoken and lived
Dearest Ashley
Oh, isn’t it amazing how our children are all fascinated by so many different things!! Your little J seems like a biologist in the making. Yes, my friend, true togetherness, especially that togetherness in Jesus, is a priceless gift!
Blessings XX
Mia
Yes, I agree with you about my little J. Actually to be a veterinarian is her dream. It’s a joy to watch these kids grow in their individual selves and in their sister connections.
You’ve shared a lovely together! Thanks for blessing my grandma heart this morning. Stopping by from Lisa-Jo’s.
Glad for your visit this morning, Sherrey!
I have been really loving your series, Ashley. It’s reminding me how important it is to “hold the tender beauty of right here.” Thanks for sharing your heart and for this great post. Blessings!
And blessings to you, Angel!
This post put such a smile on my face. Thank you so much for sharing on FMF!
Happy, as always, to see you there, too, WesAnna!
What a lovely, precious moment! Those always encourage me, like you said, when surrounded by moments of arguing, tattle-tailing, and bad attitudes. But in the end, you know they love each other and are just trying to figure together out. Thanks for sharing!
Christy @ A Heartening Life
http://www.ahearteninglife.com
It’s like I’ve got to place these moments in a storehouse somewhere so that I can draw from them when I think these kids are going to do serious damage to each other. I also try to remind myself that this is the safe place for working out the hard stuff…it’s just a little ugly to watch sometimes. :-)
Reading this, I realize what Anna misses not having siblings, especially this Fall in a new school trying to make new friends. We’ll do what we can to give her opportunities, and she makes friends easily, I also love how you show your kids’ inquisitive nature and their excitement in learning new things. Being a part of that, is one of my favorite things about parenting! God bless.
I agree, David. What joy in witnessing their wonder and then participating in that alongside them. And I’m sure you are doing a beautiful job in giving your Anna opportunities to grow in relationship. I know some wonderful “onlies” whose parents have been very intentional about building those skills through friendships and friendships with friend’s siblings. Bless you as you continue parenting your amazing little girl.
Lovely! What a blessing for your girls to be together in that way. Moments like these are worth cherishing. (Especially to store up for encouragement during the times they just.can’t.stop.fighting.)
Hopping over from everydayawe.com for Five Minute Friday.
Amen! Thanks, Stephanie. Nice to “meet” you.
Such a sweet calm picture you tell so well.
Cheers,
Leah
I know you know a thing or two about these sister bonds. Thank you, Leah.
ohhh i love learning little facts like that, and I adore that your daughter went and got tangible items so that your other daughter could understand what they were talking about in a different sense. Sometimes I need something tangible to hold in my hands to truly get something too. And those little feet scurrying in to share that new found knowledge…so preciousl. Life together is often difficult isn’t it, but those moments, those breathes of grace that nearly knock us over…they are what sustain us aren’t they? love you lady!
Love you, Janelle! I see in you such that spirit of inquiry! I can imagine you grabbing those objects to touch and feel what you are learning and then sharing it with an overflowing kind of joy. “Breaths of grace that nearly knock us over” — I love that.
Such a precious moment for those girls & for you as their mother…you should feel proud! I love when I get to witness those teaching moments between Aubrey & Elias. :)
And Aubrey is such a good little teacher, isn’t she? Those two of yours are absolutely dear together.
What a sweet, rewarding moment to share in. I can see your girls, hear those little feet padding and the awed hush of their voices. Thank you, friend :)
Can’t wait for you to meet them someday. Maybe on your next visit to P-town?
oh, I love this Ashley! Such sweet sisterhood, and yes, children need to be taught this, and I witness how you are forming and molding a tribe of sisterhood, it’s beautiful!
A tribe of sisterhood — what a great way to say it. Thank you, friend.
Ashley, This series of yours has been such an invitation – and such a gift – this one of tender, dear, sweet bliss!
Muah!