The other day my mom decided to do a "fairy breakfast" for Sam and Amelia. For no reason at all. It's these types of things that made me feel special growing up. I think it helped me know that mom not only loved us, but she
liked being a mama. It brought her joy, it was fun, there were a million ways she could use her creativity. Of course, I couldn't vocalize this as a child, but I think I internalized it for sure.
Her special fairy breakfast of green smoothies and monkey bread with little homemade wands didn't cost anything (or much) but it was beautiful and thoughtful and no doubt full of love. And I know Sam and Amelia felt that. Kids need to know they are valued. How could Sam and Amelia walk out on the porch and look down at that table set so beautifully, just for them, and not feel valued? Oh, they did. You could see it in the light in their eyes.
Not by being showered with stuff (as Joel often reminds me), or by being taken to event after event, but by us enjoying them and finding ways to enjoy our days with them. They know. They sense our contentment or our restlessness. The other night Joel was camping with the kids and in the middle of the night Sam woke him up and said, "Dad? I really love you." and then went back to sleep. Sam feels so loved when Joel spends that time with them and him feeling loved often shows itself by him telling us he loves us. That he did it in the middle of the night is just so precious though, and another plug for co-sleeping (hee hee).
I knew, without a shadow of a doubt I knew, that my mom loved being with her children and loves it still. That's an enormous gift she gave to us. And that's why I want to strive to have a home where love is evident and intentional and poured out daily. So many days I feel like I fail at this. Mom helps me see though, that it can happen in little ways and big. I love that.
Here's to mamas and dads, not perfect and not pretending that parenting is easy or always a barrel of laughs, but finding moments in our days to let our children know they are cherished and that we are thankful for the gift of being their mama or daddy (or Mammy or grandma or grandpa or what have you:).
All for now,
Jen
Yay for strawberry picking! We got in on one of the last days of picking at this farm and I was so, so glad. We were all SO excited to go to a new farm and to be out in the country! It was sunny and hot so we stayed about an hour and a half I think and headed out when our water was low and sweat was starting to drip. It was so much fun though, I always love for Sam and Amelia to get to see where food really comes from. True to form, Sam loved the actual work of picking and Amelia picked for a few minutes and then looked for bugs and pretended she was a mama kitty protecting her babies (?) . It was fun picking and chatting with Anne while my mama played with the older kids and took pictures. 
