Okie Dokie - So, there's been a few comments made about the post title, all having to do with trees and not babies. I'll admit, it's not the most creative title, but my intention here was to point out (in 4 little words) that babies and trees just simply don't compare, match up, equal up, size up (in value or beauty) and therefore do not deserve equal emotionally driven physical responses. Those words are coming from a nature lover - wait 'till Spring, and you will see a blog on trees, flowers, birds....but please...
Hug the baby. Smooch the baby. Smother the baby with love. Appreciate the tree, lean against the tree, take a nap under the tree, plant the tree a tree buddy, water the tree, carve your name in the tree, but save all your huggin' for the babies.
(As a side note - people who appreciate/adore/admire babies tend to recognize beauty, truth, goodness when they see it. That recognition often pours into other things, even the environment.....it's just a secondary nature to care for the environment - not a primary one. Primary is for people.)
Moving on to WHY LOVE, BABIES AND FAMILY LIFE ARE AMAZING!!!.....
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| Steve with the boys - Henry is just 1 month! This is part III of my blurb on families/babies/pregnancy etc., etc. Since I can't seem to come to terms with the direction I should take with this one, I've decided to not decide - between the options that is. What are the options? Well, the teacher in me wants to share facts/data/sound-bites etc., on family size and its effects on our culture/nation/economy - but that could be a bit cumbersome, long, snoozy. The mother/wife/friend/professional-baby-smoocher in me just wants to talk about how much of an adventure, how beautiful, how yummy having lots of babies can be (please forgive the food analagies, I'm 8 months prego, and food is of up most importance right now....)!!!!! The only reasonable solution is to let both sides of my mind speak - except one side is going to dominate the other. That's right. Mushy, sentiment, heart, blood, sweat, tears, laughter and love wins. If you are still awake and interested, I did post a left-brained, fact-filled, data-donut at the end. It's Fact of the Matter vs. Heart of the Matter. Now, on to the good stuff!...The Heart of the Matter (The reasons why we believe children are so delicious listed below are in no particular order...just a heap of positive, and no negative, since there's enough of that going around. Everyone seems to know what's wrong with children, so I'm here to state what's right. OK, there might be a little sarcasm, but we must laugh at life, and sarcasm helps....and wine...and....)  1. Who can resist a kiss??? I have dozens of pictures of Steve, myself, and other family members smothering the boys in smooches. We even get smothered back! It's truly a trouble-eraser. 2. Kids can be fantastic helpers (extra hands and feet), if you teach them and reward great responsibility. It's true - they really can do dishes, dump trash, vacuum, wash cars.....no kidding!
3. While we, as adults, always need a catalyst to emote a smile or a laugh, babies are happy to express grins and giggles freely and at will. Being around babies who do this frequently throughout the day is a guaranteed infusion of sunshine into any adult day.
4. Babies behold the only toes in the house that aren't gross. They are yummy. I nibble on them. New fresh toes will be arriving here in approximately 60 days. Woo-Hoo!!!! 5. Children have a way of "forcing" you to take naps. Here's the foolproof method: "Honey, do you want mommy to read you a story??" (Yes, of course.) Story ends. "Honey, do you want mommy to snuzzle with you until you fall asleep??" (Yes, of course.) Snore.
6. Having babies increases your eye-hand coordination. Have you ever tried to catch a projectile pacifier during church? Grabbed a sibling's speedy hand before he ejects the pacifier? Picked a fallen pacifier up off of the floor before the 5 second rule no longer rules? (No, I haven't done that last one either.) Moving right along... 7. You get to sharpen your fashion skills. If you are putting off having babies because you would rather dress your puppy, let me tell you there is just NOOOOOO comparison. Have a baby, let your pooch wear his/her own attire - it's called fur, let 'em sport it.
8. Having children makes you a culinary expert. Especially in the areas of cookies, cakes, muffins, etc. etc. If you are carb-phobic, don't worry, your kids will cure that in an instant. 9. Children are incredibly forgiving and, in turn, forgetful. Even on my worst days, they still wrap their arms around me and say, "Mommy, I love you." When they have days that are "off" I always hug them and say, "Tomorrow is a new day. Begin again." Many, many times they have recited these words back to me. (Pause for a kleenex.) 10. They are a constant reminder that we are too serious about almost everything. Lighten up!
11. Love and affection between siblings is a beautiful thing. They learn to protect each other, delight in each other and get along with each other despite differences. We hope they never stop.
12. They truly care about what you think, and how you feel, and what you would do in their shoes. They trust you, believe in you, need you and respect you - if you've earned it. 13. Only children can leave a booger on the wall (sometimes behind the couch, sometimes not) and still be granted your friendship the next day. 14. Children can make you feel so smart. After a day of struggling to figure out taxes or being dumbfounded by the troubleshooting guide to my washing machine, being able to help my son with long division is awesome, especially when he looks at you like you're a human calculator. OK - so this one doesn't last long, but it's a nice little ego boost :).
15. Kids have a way of putting you on your knees, in times of thanksgiving, times of need, times of desperation. It's a good place to be. Often.
16. OK, I should probably start winding it down here. My original list was about 40 things. My keyboard was smokin'! So, I'll whittle it down to these....and this final one - I never knew I could experience love, sacrifice, pain or joy to the levels that I have through the journey of being a mother. There are just no words....  There will always be better vehicles to drive, bigger homes, higher paying jobs, places to travel to, connections to be made, hobbies to master....the list goes on. The temptations go on. And on. In the end, I hope, I pray that my kids will be able to look at me and know for certain this one truth: every day that I was blessed to be their mother I said to them, to myself, to their father and to our Father, "I CHOOSE YOU."  Now, The Facts of the Matter... 1. We are not overpopulating the earth. 2. Large families are not the cause of massive carbon foot-prints - the increase in divided families who need more homes, resources, etc., actually use more resources than several people under one roof. 3. Without kids - there is no security - no national security (military, critically thinking minds in leadership), no homeland security, no financial security (bye-bye social security - we need tax-payers!), no health-care security. 4. We can afford it - it just doesn't have to include a new car at 16, full blown cell phone packages, designer jeans, eating out every day, and a full tuition scholarship paid by mom and dad. How did your parents do it? How did their parents do it????? 5. Don't believe me?? Check out the video Demographic Winter. It's a non-faith-based, scientifically researched, data-filled documentary on world population growth. Definitely worth your time! |
You are more beautiful on the inside then out, which is hard to do. Thank you for your inspiring words. I would love to read 17-40 sometime:) I can't wait to hear about #5!
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