It's Friday...

Today is day 14 of school. School. My two children, who only yesterday were in diapers, are in school. 2nd Grade and Kindergarten.

For some reason, today is another hard one for me. My house is too quiet. I am not looking for a toy or getting a snack or turning on the TV. I am not getting a hug, or settling an arguement. No one is in trouble, trails of toys are not being made. I hear no giggles, no yelling, no stories, and no one is saying my name.

I hear the washing machine in the basement. I see laundry waiting to be finished. I see the vacuum where I left it a moment ago, because I needed to write. I have the company of a sleeping dog and a kitty cat.

I am thankful that my children are doing so great in school. I love that they are excited to go. That they are not always missing mommy. (They do confess once in awhile that they do miss me.) This is just a change. A change that, eventually, we will all adjust to. Or maybe they will and I won't. Maybe moms never adjust to the 'letting go' process that I am quickly learning to be a bumpy, many different steps along the way, long (in theory, but not in reality) process.

Many moms have had to face (and are currently facing) more difficult challenges in their mothering and some devastating and painful situations that will leave their hearts crying and that will change them forever.

Mothering, it is the most difficult job on the planet. It really is. Yet, I don't know of one mom, not one, that would change any of it. Even the hardest moments some of my friends have faced, I doubt they would change.

In my tiny hard moments, I try and remember to count my blessings and be thankful!

I am blessed that I can volunteer at my children's school. I get to be in their classroom with them. All day long! Many times I get to work with the children one on one. I can sit and watch, amazed!, by what my kids are capable of doing.

I also get to see and hear many things that just make my heart smile.
From the mouths of babes, literally!

Picture if you will...
A Kindergarten classroom filled with students. They are finishing up their morning working, chatting quietly, and anticipating their field trip today.

A parent is in the back of the classroom doing some volunteer work for the teacher. That parent is me. (I also get to be chaperon on the field trip!) As I am doing my work, my ears pick up bits of a 'serious' conversation.

The conversation...
(Confidentiality does not allow me to use names, so I will called the little girl, G and the little boy, B!)
G - Is that snake poisionous? (My assumption is that B owns a snake at home and may be looking at a picture of it. Cannot see this from where I sit!)
B - Yeah he's poisionous. I let it wrap around my neck sometimes.
G - You do!?!!!
B- I let it bite me somethimes. It is venomous but it doesn't hurt.
G - (She's speechless and her face shows much excitement and awh!)
G- What does it eat?!
B - I feed it mouses that I find around the house.

At this point in the conversation the teacher interupts (how dare she!) and they continue with their morning duties!

How cute is this conversation?! My favorite is his last line about finding 'mouses around the house'. I am sure his mother would love to know about that!

I wonder how many moms have gone home with things my two have said. Hmmmm?

Even though today has me a little teary eyed, I am so thankful that God chose me to be the mother of Brenna and Ethan. Even though they belong to Him, I am their caregiver. It's amazing how when you become a mother, that on that first day your heart undergoes it's first (of many) transplants.