I've recently discovered something. I mean, I thought I knew it, but I didn't know it down deep until now.
God worked it out so younger people should have and take care of babies/toddlers/school-aged children!
OK, so I had my second child at age 36. However, his older brother was 7 years older so it was sort of like having two only children. I had a LOT of time with the first one and a LOT of time with the second one. Well, maybe I didn't fill out #2's baby book as completely as I did with #1, but you get the idea.
I am currently in a home with two mid-twenties parents, a 6 yr.-old, a 4 yr.-old, and a 21 month old. And a 1 1/2 year-old Boxer. The oldest child is a boy. The others are so not boys. Meaning MAJOR drama!
The mother of these darlings is 36 weeks pregnant with child #4, for her, and this new one is trying to come early and has been for 2 1/2 weeks. Hence, the reason I am here. She's supposed to stay off her feet, but she's pretty stubborn, and she's a whirlwind, so if she's feeling good, it's difficult to get her to sit down. She saw the doctor today for her regular appointment and she said this young mom is in the early, early stages of labor, and now, if this baby wants to come, it's ok. Her husband keeps telling her to get up and move around. He's impatient.
I love this young family with all that I have in me. The husband here keeps asking me if I'm ok, if anything is wrong. I tell him no, nothing is wrong. He sat me down the other night and said, "OK, we have to have a serious conversation. Are you sorry you came?" I told him that of course I'm not sorry I came! I'm blessed to have been asked, and to have been able to make the time to be here with them. To bond closer with the young mother and all three children! To be here to greet #4 when she arrives!!
I'm just not used to the busyness of 3 young children and a large house dog. I'm not used to the mountains of laundry, the never-ending dishes, the "binky" that gets tossed then lost, causing an adult to yell, "WHERE'S THE BINKY?" every 10 minutes or so. I'm not used to putting on my Down coat at 7:50 in the mornings in -10 degree weather and taking a child across town to school, then coming home for 20 minutes and hauling the next one to pre-school, only to have to leave again in two hours to pick her up. Though in counting my blessings, the one-on-one time in the car with the oldest is some great talk-time with some deep thoughts from him, and while the pre-schooler's commute is a lot shorter, alone in the car, she can be counted on for a steady stream of priceless comments. It just occurred to me I can also praise the Lord that it's not Minus THIRTY degree weather. I've been here when that has happened as well!
As a empty-nester for the past year, (and I didn't want him to move out), I've grown used to routine. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I've always been pretty spontaneous, certainly a great deal more spontaneous than my dear husband. But usually my days are fairly predictable, even with a lot of things to do to keep me very busy.
I think it's simply a matter of ENERGY. As in, I don't have as much as I used to! And, in the interest of having some tomorrow, I think I'll turn in now. Good night!
Blessings,
Amy
February 4, 2010
0 comments: