Big Moments & Small

Today two cool things happened.
#1. A lady came and cleaned my house for me! Before Casen's arrival Chris and I tried to plan for what our new life would be like. One of the things I knew I'd want done, but wouldn't always have the time and energy to do was to have a clean house. When it's dirty it bugs me. I notice the dust. The grass on the floor. The spots on the mirrors. etc... This week I'd had enough. I can't do it, there's no time or energy left by the end of the day. At least not yet so we called a lady from our church who cleans houses. She came over this afternoon and ever so sweetly cleaned my house! It was GLORIOUS! I feel so much better knowing my house is clean. Everywhere I look I notice how nice it looks. Thank you Gloria Gurley! You are my new best friend!!! It was such a blessing to me!
#2. Gloria and I share a special bond. She adopted her only baby 36 years ago. She told me today that she and her husband, James, had tried to get pregnant over several years and even had two miscarriages. After her second miscarriage they decided not to keep trying. It was too hard. She was eager to pursue adoption after visiting with another adoptive mom, but James was hesitant. They learned they could adopt inexpensively through DHS and after some time his heart soften and they decided to pursue an adoption. They said they would take a baby under three years old. Gloria smiled and tears filled her eyes as she told me about the day they got the call that there was a baby waiting for them after waiting for 22 months on the DHS list. She was at work and couldn't get home fast enough to share the good news with her husband. Two days later they drove to Oklahoma City and met Steven. Their five month old baby boy. She said they were in a room and two people came through the door. A lady and a large black man carrying a baby. As the approached them she held out her hands to the baby and said, "Come here Steven" (who until that moment had been called Shawn) and he looked at her like, "where have you been, Mom?" and came flying into her arms. What a beautiful story! That is a moment you don't ever forget.
Motherhood is made up of moments. Lots of good and lots of bad. Some memorable, but many fade into what becomes the background of our lives. I remember the precise time and place we found out each of our boys were going to be ours. The flood of emotions I felt at that news and meeting them for the first time. I know what that adoptive momma's heart feels like wondering if the bottom is going to fall out with so many things out of our control. But the little things are already fading away. It's harded to recall what Tucker was like as an infant or if Bennett was bigger or smaller then Casen at this age. And that was just a few months ago. As this sweet lady mopped and dusted and scrubbed my house for me she blessed my in ways she probably didn't intend to. She reminded me to soak up this time when my boys are little. Love them extra and rock them without apology. A dirty house will always be there but my babies will only be babies for such a short time. I will always remember the big things, but I want to treasure the smaller ones too. I want to be able to tell new moms stories of my days as a rock with a smile and clarity over sweet memories. The days are long, this is all too true, but the years are so short. Tucker will be three years old in just over a month! How? I don't know. But I do know that even in the moments of frustration and feeling overwhelmed that my calling to be the best momma I can be to these three precious boys remains.