The Mother of Sillies

I will take all of these sillies any day of the week.  They are funny, they are smart, they ask more questions than I can answer. At least one is mad at me at all times for something I could not follow through on or do, yet they wrap their arms around me and tell me they love me. 


They are in my space all the time, they use up all the shampoo and don't tell me, they wash their clothes and then leave them to sit in the laundry room. They call me late at night and want to go and have coffee. They thank me for making their lunch, even if it's not such a good one. They thank me for sitting and listening, even when my brain is half asleep.  


They mess up my well-made bed to wrestle, they push delete, and then ask what that button is for. They don't remember to rinse the cereal out of the bowl, only to be discovered by me hours later.  They leave socks and undies behind the bathroom door. My bathtub is a play yard of super heroes, boats, planes and trains.  My office, my desk, my personal space is covered with little notes saying "i love you momu" and precious little drawings on my important papers.  


They whisper while I am sleeping..."can I get you anything mommy?" I pretend to stay asleep because I know that a sweet little hand will be tapping my shoulder with the loudest whisper you have ever heard. They eat my sandwich I made a head of time. They bring their friends over and stay late. Always asking if I will join them.  

They tell me a friend has a problem and would love to talk with you, they will use my office for their hard work, and ask if I can come back later to my own office.  They drink milk by the gallons, and eat cereal by the dozens of boxes.  They don't like sleeping with a pillowcase, so they remove it.  They prefer to wear the same socks every day, so I have to sneak in and trade them out for clean ones.  He will wear the same jeans every day, they are his favorites so while he sleeps I wash them and hang them up just as they were.  They ask me to help build their lego sets, over and over and over. I think I can build them in my sleep. I find them in my bed at night. An elbow on a lego is the worst pain. I watch YouTube video's with them and laugh over the corny clips. 

I stand in the kitchen, while they sit and laugh at me. They tell me not to sing, or not to dance, but I always do.  I am awkward, I am learning when to fade in and out. Sometimes I get those mixed up so they tell me.  I can ask them questions about God and they open up their hearts to share their own story. Stories unfold around that kitchen counter.  Stories unfold while sitting on the red sofa with just one lamp on. Stories unfold on the edge of my bed. 


Always I will listen and ask questions. I try not to be shocked when they ask me to be objective. I try not to laugh when I see something so hilarious and funny, and no one else sees the silliness of it all.  Today I sit back and watch as each one gathers for the afternoon dinner.  Taking time to drive home for a meal with mom.  Sitting before running off to work knowing that this moment may come and go quickly as the food is delicious, but they all came to say "thanks mom I love you".  


This is how my life looks daily and although there are times I want to wake up and start over I look at my life as a mother and know I would not trade for one moment one lego, or one late night, or one tear.  Thanks be to God for his wonderful gifts.  All five and the others who show up in my home so I can love and mother them too.