I can only pray and beg God that they are good, sweet, family memories. (Not like today when I lost my temper with the girls while driving home from preschool!)
I wonder if their special memories will be the same as mine...swimming at Mimi and Pop Pop's during the summer, evenings chasing Daddy around and laughing uncontrollably, sitting at the kitchen table with me getting their fingers and toes painted, snuggling up on the couch reading "Frog and Toad" books, afternoons spent at Disneyland stretching into evenings sitting and watching the parade while eating mint chocolate chip ice cream, dancing to their Dan Zanes and Friends dvd (love love love his music), singing along to the "Wicked" soundtrack in the car. The list could go on. These are some of my favorite memories with my two littles. I feel particularly reflective lately as my pregnancy is slowly, but surely, coming to an end. I pray that my girls have happy, fun memories. And I wonder what turns life will take with a third addition to our family. Never again will we be that compact little family of four! (I'm convinced the world was designed for families of four- conveniance-wise!)
For me, music and smells have always helped define memories. Coconut scented sunscreen. Fried chicken cooking on a Sunday afternoon. Hamburgers and corn on the barbeque in the summer. Pampers Swaddlers diapers on a new baby. "How Great Thou Art" always brings me to tears. I get this overwhelming feeling of hopefulness everytime I see a children's choir sing. I dream of the days when my girls will be old enough to sing at our church Christmas eve program. There's just something about watching little ones praise God that makes me sob like the emotional pregnant lady I am!
Other memories may not be as fun, but they are certainly ones I will never forget. Losing my very last softball game, in the championships and the sting of tears on my face as I walked away from the game I played for my whole life. The shock I felt when our home was burglarized. Leaving the babies I cared for at the orphanage in Hong Kong, uncertain of what their futures would hold. Even yesterday, one of these "stinging" memories was made when I took Chloe for her kindergarten health exam and my baby screamed like a banshee when she got her vaccinations! That was one of my hardest days ever!
Memories, good and bad, shape my life. I reflect on them often, remember them fondly and desire to preserve them for our children.
What are some of your favorite memories, in your own life, with your children, good or bad??
A lovely post. I find that I remember moments. Times where I connected with someone in my life. It could be a walk with my Dad as a child, or a laughing session with my Mom. I hope my kids have nice memories too. Lately, they are fighting so much. I hope that they don't remember these chaotic moments! Hope you're feeling well. Rest when you can. You'll need it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful post, Lisa. I think that a lot too, what will my children remember, what will their memories be of this time? I hope they'll remember the good and forget the bad.
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