I’m thankful for my trip this last weekend (and that I can write in a blog with whatever type of punctuation I feel like):
being met by the crisp, Fall air and a best friend with a smile stretched across her face
fall leaves floating haphazardly across the street as we drove to meet another best friend for dinner
a sea of 4,000 women generating strength and hope
presenters full of wisdom and love…filling me and lifting me
on stage with my dear mother…wondering at when I passed her up in height and how I got so lucky to call her my mom
sweet women with books to be signed and stories to tell
a dinner of ideas and thought-provoking questions, feeling much too spoiled to get my parents all to myself
rain turning to sleet and then to bouncing, swirling snow from my airplane window
listening to babies cry while waiting for the airplane wing de-icing process
wishing I could hold those babies, and wishing I could transport myself to my own babies…the ones who are so grown up now and fully entrenched in “becoming”
a mother standing in the aisle with a toddler on her hip…a little girl with ponytails sticking straight out on the sides
my heart aching that that time of babies is over for me…as crazy and hard as it was, I miss it… horribly
a set of parents carrying their two sleeping boys hanging completely relaxed from their arms off the plane…wishing it wasn’t too dorky if I just leaned over and told them how lucky they are to have those babies…and smiling in my heart as I reflected how lucky I am to get to be a parent too
the 62 degree temperature that awaited me in the middle of the night here
being greeted by the saguaro cacti lining the freeway…their arms seemingly welcoming me back
pulling into my driveway
Home.
with my children nestled in their beds for me to go watch sleep
and breathe in deeply the glory that I’m theirs and they’re mine
and a husband, who has smoothly taken care of them all, that I get to go snuggle up to
Yes, it’s good to be home.
Sounds like a Heavenly weekend for you;)I'll take our winter here over any other!!
i guess I can't read your blog while i'm pregnant. it makes me cry every time!
glad you had a good trip.
love you.
I know that feeling with "babies" everytime I go to my women's bible study…my heart aches as I see all the young moms dropping off the kids in "care". Mine are at school but this too is a precious time to "soak" in!
sandy toe
very sweet post Shawni 🙂
LOVED this!! I'm in the "thick" of having babies (4 year old, 2 1/2 year old, and 7 month old…wanting 2 or 3 more still) and I love hearing mothers who miss it because I really do remember posts like this during the sleepless nights (or pouty tantrums, etc) and it makes me smile and snuggle closer rather than get annoyed and start a woe-is-me pity party. 🙂 I am grateful to be a mother. 🙂
Thanks for making the sacrifice to come to TOFW in SLC! I know it's hard to leave behind all your other responsibilities and loved ones, but I appreciate it. Thank you (and your mom) for your inspiring presentation. I went home and shared it with my husband, which has sparked some discussion on ways to apply the things you taught! Thanks again!
Oh dear. Why are we like that? I just turned forty and am longing for baby #5! I really thought I was done…we'll see what happens I guess. 🙂
I was at the tofw. Wasn't it amazing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences. It was fun to hear your voice because now when I read your blog I can "hear" you say what you are saying!
Welcome home…you make me want to leave and come back again!
Was that fun or what?