Jamie, I remember....
You were 20 months old at the time. A very fun age. Learning new things everyday. The world was a place of fascination for you. Even the most mundane things were new and exciting to you. It made every day a new and exciting experience - just seeing each moment through your eyes.
Your daddy had purchased a bag of premade meatballs for spaghetti. When he was done with the dinner he put the meatballs in the freezer, but didn't seal the bag.
A couple of days later Mamaw was talking on the phone long distance to your Aunt Monica. I had the phone cord stretched as far as it would go into the kitchen since the cordless phone was broken (I wonder who was responsible for that! *grin*) Mamaw was tired, and feeling somewhat frustrated since she had a long day at work... You were doing what most toddlers do... demanding a great deal of attention from me, while I was trying to talk to my sister, whom I hadn't spoken to for quite some time...
The phone cord was stretched across the kitchen as I was trying to get you some icecream out of the freezer. I knew that I was pushing my luck, and the phone was probably going to come off the wall. Then it happened. In one fell swoop, the phone came of, the long distance call disconnected, the icecream came tumbling out of the freezer, and right behind it came that package of meatballs.... Twenty premade, frozen meatballs went rolling all over the floor....it was enough to make a mamaw lose her cool..
Except.... As I turned around to survey the mess I knew I had made, I saw this little toddler boy, delighted with this new found treasure the had 'fallen from the heavens'.... twenty toddler sized balls... just big enough for your little hands. You were thrilled. Giggling and laughing as you picked up each ball, then tossed it across the floor as you would any ball... It didn't seem to phase you in the least that those balls simply landed on the floor with a little thud, no bouncing... it was the thrill of getting to throw them that made your day.
I had some difficulty getting those little balls into the trash can. You didn't want your 'balls' thrown away... but we managed to get most of them up never the less. Through out the rest of the evening, however, you would come running into the living room with another of your 'treasures'... excited that you had managed to find another 'ball' hidden away in some nook that only a toddler can find.
How could I possible be frustrated after that? I will file this episode away in my book of treasured memories, to share with you when you get older, and perhaps have your own children. These day to day experiences are things that I did not appreciate when your daddy, and his brothers were your age. I was young at that time, and in a hurry to have them grow up. I did not appreciate every tiny detail of their young lives as I do yours. That is what age does to you. Only after realizing, with age, how fast time flies, do we realize that the things we thought were so very important - were not near as important as we thought.
I don't even know what I was in such a hurry to do when your daddy was younger. That's how important it must have been. I don't remember it. But I will take this opportunity that God has given me now, and relish in every single moment of it.... draw upon them when I am a much older lady, and perhaps share them with your family...
You found another meatball this morning. I don't know how I missed it last night. This morning it has thawed, and is not nearly as much fun... Your response was a toddler size "Yuck" and a swift toss into the trash can... Last nights moment of fun is now a thing of the past... but my memory of it will remain forever.
I can't describe how much I love you. Nor what a wealthy lady I am for having you in my life right now.
Thank you Jesus.
Your daddy had purchased a bag of premade meatballs for spaghetti. When he was done with the dinner he put the meatballs in the freezer, but didn't seal the bag.
A couple of days later Mamaw was talking on the phone long distance to your Aunt Monica. I had the phone cord stretched as far as it would go into the kitchen since the cordless phone was broken (I wonder who was responsible for that! *grin*) Mamaw was tired, and feeling somewhat frustrated since she had a long day at work... You were doing what most toddlers do... demanding a great deal of attention from me, while I was trying to talk to my sister, whom I hadn't spoken to for quite some time...
The phone cord was stretched across the kitchen as I was trying to get you some icecream out of the freezer. I knew that I was pushing my luck, and the phone was probably going to come off the wall. Then it happened. In one fell swoop, the phone came of, the long distance call disconnected, the icecream came tumbling out of the freezer, and right behind it came that package of meatballs.... Twenty premade, frozen meatballs went rolling all over the floor....it was enough to make a mamaw lose her cool..
Except.... As I turned around to survey the mess I knew I had made, I saw this little toddler boy, delighted with this new found treasure the had 'fallen from the heavens'.... twenty toddler sized balls... just big enough for your little hands. You were thrilled. Giggling and laughing as you picked up each ball, then tossed it across the floor as you would any ball... It didn't seem to phase you in the least that those balls simply landed on the floor with a little thud, no bouncing... it was the thrill of getting to throw them that made your day.
I had some difficulty getting those little balls into the trash can. You didn't want your 'balls' thrown away... but we managed to get most of them up never the less. Through out the rest of the evening, however, you would come running into the living room with another of your 'treasures'... excited that you had managed to find another 'ball' hidden away in some nook that only a toddler can find.
How could I possible be frustrated after that? I will file this episode away in my book of treasured memories, to share with you when you get older, and perhaps have your own children. These day to day experiences are things that I did not appreciate when your daddy, and his brothers were your age. I was young at that time, and in a hurry to have them grow up. I did not appreciate every tiny detail of their young lives as I do yours. That is what age does to you. Only after realizing, with age, how fast time flies, do we realize that the things we thought were so very important - were not near as important as we thought.
I don't even know what I was in such a hurry to do when your daddy was younger. That's how important it must have been. I don't remember it. But I will take this opportunity that God has given me now, and relish in every single moment of it.... draw upon them when I am a much older lady, and perhaps share them with your family...
You found another meatball this morning. I don't know how I missed it last night. This morning it has thawed, and is not nearly as much fun... Your response was a toddler size "Yuck" and a swift toss into the trash can... Last nights moment of fun is now a thing of the past... but my memory of it will remain forever.
I can't describe how much I love you. Nor what a wealthy lady I am for having you in my life right now.
Thank you Jesus.