Simplicity

Having a baby to care for slows down my whole world.  You can't rush a baby to eat faster.  Diapers must be changed.  Naps must be taken.  Sleep deprivation sometimes makes the minutes stand still.

I love efficiency and sometimes the slower pace of life is infuriating.  As I sit and nurse Charlotte I make lists of all the things I will do once I can move around again.  I did the same thing when Desmond was a baby.  However, sometimes I'm able to be in the moment.  To notice how the sunlight shines through the window at that particular time of day.  To listen carefully to the birds' songs and hear their variety.  To marvel at an inch worm slowly making its way across a leaf.  Efficiency isn't bad but to miss out on the sacred parts of everyday life robs me of the wonder of being alive.

I'm so grateful for my babies.  I'm grateful for the imposition of inefficiency they bring into my life.  It's good for my soul.

Love Without Reason

A friend recently asked me what I like most about Charlotte. I didn't have a great answer off the cuff. After thinking about it for a while there are two things.  First, I love the person she will somehow become. All the potential and future days that (hopefully) lay ahead of her.  Second, I cherish the love I have for her even though she gives me no reason to love her.  (OK, her cute smiles are starting to be a decent reason.)  It's amazing to me how much you can love a baby just because he or she is yours.  There's nothing else in my life that brings out that kind of selfless, reasonless love in me.

Sparkle Stories

I've found an audio story site for children that I love so much I just have to share.  On our recent trip to North Carolina to visit family (more about that soon), I decided to try out a subscription to Sparkle Stories.   It's a site that has several different story lines for various ages.  They publish one 20 minute episode a week for each story line.

Desmond loved them.  During the trip he begged to listen to more Sparkle Stories.  It made the 25+ hours of driving much more manageable.  His favorites are the Martin and Sylvia stories.  The stories are simple, beautiful, well told and subtly instructive. Even I enjoy listening.

If you'd like to try it out, they've shared a coupon code so it only costs $1 for over 12 hours of fantastic story tellings. You just log in each week and download the mp3 files and can cancel your subscription anytime. Use the info below:

The magic code: SPARKLEFRIENDS
The magic page:  www.sparklestories.com/trysparkle

I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!