Summer Meditation

There is something about having a protruding "baby belly" that affords perfect strangers the right to ask all sorts of silly questions. Especially when I am out with my "other" 3 kids. These are the ones I have received lately.......

"Are you happy about it (the pregnancy)?"

"Haven't you yet figured out how this happens?"

"Will you have any more?"

"Are they all yours...and you are having another?"

Most of the time I shrug, smile, and answer yes, we are all so looking forward to the baby. And then a few days ago, amidst the chaos of one messy day, I had to laugh as I thought about all those people that ask me those questions. So I got out my camera and shot scenes over 30 minutes of my average day. And here they are. And this is what I want to say to all those people who don't understand my life.

Never, over the course of 10 years have I wondered if this is what I am supposed to be doing. Even during the mess, illnesses, and frustrations of daily life, I know God has me where He wants me and that I am doing His will. I never would have guessed 12 years ago that this would be my life, but God has His way, and I am so thankful. Over the course of 30 minutes the other day, I had a young botanist arranging flowers, a ball player attempting to throw strikes into the target (which was too close to the garden), an open freezer with a 2 year old in another room with a popsicle, mud trails all over the house (the botanist), and three kids who eventually decided costumes were more fun than it all. So I closed the freezer, cleaned up the sticky 2 year old, admired the flowers, swept the floor, and laughed at the costumes. I love these little people and can't imagine my life without them. And that is why we are so happy for baby #4 to arrive. They provide my joy and my path to sanctity. I can't image of any greater joy than mothering these children. And I wonder what the people who ask me those questions would like me to do all day...