a love letter

As I bask in the silence at the end of a day, I greet it as one would a dear friend, I delight in its presence.  The night brings a stillness that is so welcome.   A soft conclusion to the busy hours of a full life.  And yet, while my heart enjoys this brief quietude, my mind waltzes across the meadow of bits and pieces that are this existence.

As I check on my sweet sleeping babies, covered with handmade blankets in their beds, my whole being swells with bursting love.  As I take in the rhythmic rise and fall of their gentle, sleeping breaths, I  consider the stories they will tell with their lives.  I marvel that I am able to be a part of it, that God would choose me for this honor.  To be mommy to them.
And while this role requires a lot of me, I receive much in return.  I get to be the one that drinks in their glowing morning smiles as flowers drink in the fresh dew.  I collect their sweet sloppy kisses and hugs. I get to  take their sticky little hands in my own.  I get to hold them near as they seek comfort in my arms. I get to provide that safety they so desire. I get the smiles, the laughter, the love, the joy, the silly and the wonder.
To think I was entrusted the privilege of being the caretaker of these two priceless volumes of blank pages just waiting to be filled with remarkable words and adventures.   I get a front row seat as the sculptor stands before the block of marble and with each passing moment, I witness the growth and development of their lives, works of art that will change the world.  It’s as if I am the keeper of a beautiful garden, who nurtures, protects, nourishes, cleans, and loves until the seeds grow into blooming plants ready to reveal.  I was chosen to tend to the seeds that will yield fruits of character, ambition, hope, beauty, love, and possibilities.
The God of the universe knew me and knew them and decided that we belonged together and to each other.  He took my story and meshed it with that of another and He let our love give birth to these little wonders.
What magic, what spectacular goodness, these beautiful miracles that happen moment after moment, day after day, year after year.  This is love. Everyday. This is life. It’s magic.

Or if you prefer, today I changed endless amounts of diapers, entertained a wild little boy while the rain poured down, stopped him from climbing on his sister a dozen times, quieted a fussy baby over and over, picked up countless toys, prepared meals and snacks for a picky eater, cleaned a house, cooked dinner for my family, and tucked them all into bed…. only to do it all again tomorrow.