“Far Arms”—(moving from maidenhood to matronhood )

We all drove to Chicago a couple weekends ago to visit our dear friends Megan and Peter and to meet their new little baby Elijah.   My friend Abby, was also there with her daughter Suzanna.  They live in Seattle.  So it seemed like a good weekend to pick.  Much like other times of getting together with my girls, it was a blessing.  What I was struck with this time is that we were all mothers.  We really have worn out our awkward and flimsy college identities to become women, wives and mothers!   I consider it such a blessing to be able to continue to ‘grow’ up with these girls!

Jonathan and I hadn’t been on a long drive together since before Charlie was born, and we were really excited about it.   The five hours drive took quite a bit longer than expected, since Miss W turned out to hate sleeping in the car and only napped for 20 minutes at a time.   Charlie was very excited about going on a “road trip”  until he figured out that it was just fancy talk for sitting in the car for a looong time!  Luckily for him, we took lots of breaks to feed this one….. …and there were plenty of things to talk about and see out the window…(he now can recognize and name a corn field, a wind mill and a bridge when he sees one)…and silly things to do inside the window…

My favorite part of the ride was when Charlie dropped his book in a place I couldn’t reach.  As Jonathan fetched it out, Charlie said excitedly to me,

“Dada CAN reach it, Dada have far arms?” 

I assured him that Dada, did indeed have “far arms”  (And I challenge you grammarians out there to explain why far can’t be an adjective?  Does it sound wrong just because we don’t use it that way?  He’s got me stumped on this one!)

And then we arrived and got to meet Elijah!!!   He is very serious about life and had a lot of deep thoughts to think.  Thoughts which, no doubt, he will astound us with when he gets old enough to put words to them.  In the mean time, he kept us amused with his powerful expressions.  After church on Sunday, Abby and Suzanna came over to play.   Oh it was good to see our children playing together!   The papas and toddlers kept each other entertained while the mamas talked and oogled over the babies.Then we had nap time…should I say, all the children co-operated by being asleep at the same time and we had an adult conversation!   What a blessing!   And pretty much a miracle if you consider the fact that we had two toddlers and two infants in a small two bedroom apartment.  After naps we spent some time outdoors.Suzanna and Charlie played really well together.  Though, they have been arranged for marriage since before birth so I guess its not to0 surprising.  And I don’t know about Charlie, but I am smitten with the pigtails!

       

Wendy was smitten with the moving shadows of tree leaves on the ground!Elijah was smitten with sleep!And we were all smitten with this scene!  There is SO much to love in this picture!  It makes me chuckle every time I see it.  The dimples, the eyebrows, the toes, the rolls, the sideways ponytail, the leaning, the bottom lips, the white, white teeth… “Our children” has such a powerful emotional weight to it when you’re speaking it with some of your dearest friends!And if these two don’t remind you of Jack Spratt who could eat no fat and his wife who could eat no lean…  

Elijah: “Mom, she is TOUCHING me!!”  

Wendy:  “There, there now, dear, just relax.  It will be over in a minute.  Can’t you see they will just keep waving those cameras around until they get at least one good picture of us together?”

Ahh joy!…

…until we get to hang out together again!….