Led By My Wee Ones

 Lunchtime: hurrying to fill 3 small plates, food scattered all over my counters, hurdling over the little toys at foot, and then, often, realizing...I need food, too. Oh yeah. My stomach growls and I sneak in a bite of pasta prepared for the kids. I deliver their food and head back to figure mine out. I quickly throw together my tuna sandwich and begin to eat as I tidy up some things. And the accountability calls out, from my 4 year old. Judah, in a joking voice, "Momma, sit down or I'll spank your bottom!" (They say this often to me about sitting down for lunch. They know my mantra: "Mealtime is for spending time together." Not for multi-tasking as I slowly make my way to the table. Thanks, Judah.)

Then comes words of encouragement from my 3 year old. I reply to Judah's threat to spank me with, "I'm the one who is the spanker around here," with a smile. And to that Levi speaks words of life, "No you're not mom. You are super."
"Super?" I ask.
"Yes, because you are great," he says matter-of-factly.

Here I am, missing it. Scurrying around with busyness that I'm missing it, missing them. And there they are ready to gently nudge me in the right direction with humor and words of encouragement. Three and four and they are teaching me profound things. Now if I could only be like them more often when they miss it. A gentle nudge and words of life. Powerful. Such a humbling, wonderful thing to be a mom.