Monday, August 23, 2010

HEAVENLY EYES

QUICK! SHUT YOUR BLINDS! YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS, AND THERE'S NO STOPPING IT!

I'm stripping down in preparation for the annual, "I'm a mom, and the kids have all gone to school, so I'm dancing naked because I must" ritual. And I'm not gonna lie to you, folks~it's kind of gross. Thus the warning. Take heed.

I'm wearing a spring bonnet and have my cinnamon/vanilla candle glowing as a symbolic gesture. It's kind of like burning incense in the temple~or burning people at the stake~or burning ticks out of bums...symbolic like that. It's my little way of ridding the home of creatures like summertime farts and hairy legs thrown across chairs whilst tipping back a cup full of blended (to a fine powder) saltine cracker shards (none of which fall to the floor unattended.) Not that I don't find those things as appealing as fruit flies swarming my kitchen like flies do turd...a post for another day...but let's just say they've worn out their welcome.

Now here's something funny~just as I'm finishing this less than tender post, I get a call from Bitty Boo. She's just waved her oldest two off for their first day of real school, and she and her littlest walked home together, hand in hand and heart to heart, as they wept and consoled each other with a plan to go to the school in an hour, just to "check on them."

And suddenly, I remember those days. When they wore outfits instead of T-shirts. When their new shoes made them run faster. When a head full of curlers bowed over folded arms for night time prayers.

Then that one day, when I walked them to the playground fence, and I stopped while they continued on without me. I made a simple request of the woman I was back then~ "Take a picture in your heart right now, Lisa. This is not coming back. Watch them. Watch them. Don't walk away until they're out of your sight." And though I'm often known to be less than obedient, this time I listened.

Even now, as I type these words, I'm looking at this heart picture, and I see all of my children disappearing into the past. I watch, and I watch, until eventually, they're all gone from my view. One so far away, I can't even see him on the American Continent.

But I take comfort that when my mortal eyes stop seeing, the heavenly eyes take over. Angels climb onto the bus. They take playground duty. Some board the plane to Brazil. And hand in hand and heart to heart with our Heavenly Father and heavenly family, the village continues to raise the child.

But oh, how grateful I am for those heart pictures. I shall tight fist them for eternity.




17 comments:

CB said...

This made me cry!
I have those pictures in my heart too - I'm so glad I stopped to take them :)

P.S. FREEDOM!!! I think the naked dance is always so much more fun when it's hot outside!

Ster said...

I'm weeping right now.

Kara Elmore said...

STOP IT JERK!!! STOP IT!!!!!!! My cry is SO ugly that I won't take a picture to show you!

I'll be nice to the kids tonight. And I won't yell at them when they're not paying attention during scripture reading. And I won't thunk him on the head for being stupid as he slides down the stairs, eventually falling. And I'll hold her tighter as her little curls come bouncing into my arms off the bus.

btw - I won this year for school outfits. Because I still have control at their tender years ... and I decided that you can borrow Miss FLAVA when I have this baby so you can decorate her to go to school. Then you can send her triumphantly into my arms when you are done w/ her. Then you'll write another post about how GRATEFUL you are you only have to worry about the heart picture ... and not the realness of it.

I love you. And YES she's wearing ALL 8 outfits today ... I have to run there to do the changing of the guards ... (aka - outfits).

Lisa said...

You did win, Boo. Hold that trophy high and don't let anyone tell you different. We know it's about complimentary fabrics and Mary Janes and polka dot bows. Not garanimals and muffin top baring t-shirts. I'll come dust your display case to remind me of the early years.

FYI, I'm still bawling.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

How is it possible that I am laughing my guts out and then bawling? You are truly talented my friend.
There's no getting everyone ready for school here.........sniffle.
I have to settle for heart pictures. (but why do I have the fruit fly farts and saltine shards to deal with?))

Anonymous said...

THANKfully you typed this AFTER I sent my last one to school a couple of weeks ago!! Why do I still get choked up while dropping of my 4th grader??? I thought it would get easier NOT harder to let them FLY!

And after my son said the family prayer last night and asked that everyone would be safe at school and dad would be safe at work (no blessing/asking for mom), I promptly said "and please bless mom as she does the naked dance at home that she will be safe!" NO LIE! Ask my kids and hubby, I seriously said that!!! So as I'm reading your blog I'm laughing HYSTERICALLY! Great minds think a like! Anony :)

Holly said...

The beginning of the post was totally cringe worthy with the visual it was creating... then you turned it into a thing of beauty!! How do you do it?? You ARE... the BLOG MASTER!!! I'm not worthy!!! *bows down* LOL!!! ((HUGS)) to YOU, Princess Lisa!! ;D

Vanessa said...

Oh girly, my teary eyes are here to type, thank you. So many times I take forgranted of the times I have with my little ones. They do grow up, and although now it seams slow. I am sure I will look back and think they went by too fast. What part of Brazil is your son in?

Neen said...

BYU seems so far away. I will be sure to take that mental photo on Wednesday. I'm sobbing just thinking of it. I know you understand.

Just a bed of roses said...

My grandchildren 12-4 were the cutest this morning. I stayed at their home just for the moment of taking a bye bye for school picture.
8 yr. boy woke at 5 a.m. got in his school uniform. Girl 5 wore her first plaid uniform/headband, long white stockings...so cute!
4 year girl got clothes of the cutest I have ever seen straight from Italy last night...hate to say it but she wins the prize for cutest dressed!

Boy were Mommies out in dozens shopping today...I will just be thankful for that!

Lisa...you'll be right there at the grandchildrens homes like I was...I just know it.

Mimi Sue said...

Awwww! I got a little teary myself. It all goes by so darn fast! Enjoy the little things and keep taking those heart pictures because before you know it they're getting their own little ones ready for school. Mimi

The Damsel In Dis Dress said...

Love the "tight fist" phrase.

Sent my youngest off to 1st day of 6th grade this morning. Crying to think about how many times I've watched the kids go down that street to that same school...this will be the last of the elementaries. Gosh!

Cluttered Brain said...

WHAT? No nekkid picture?
LOL.
No cinnamon tea for me to drink?
No dr. pepper?
That's it. I'm outta here....
*sigh*

LOL.

You paint quite the picture girly. Love you. :)
And my kids don't start until Aug 30th.
Soon, my dance party will commend...

Unknown said...

OH! Can my babies just stay little forever?

Or maybe just a little while longer.

Karyn said...

Oh Lisa!! Seriously? On the day that I am dropping my first child off at college - in an apartment with not one soul that she knows?? Way to go. Swollen eyes already.

Anonymous said...

Oh how incredibly connected all of us mothers are right now - I just wrote about my girls growing up too. What a wonderful post. I love how you infuse wit and charm into everything. Thank you!

- Emily

See Mom Smile said...

Oh that made me a little misty. Well said. I just sent my last baby off to school full-time. I have been waiting for this for 19 years and I thought I would be doing the naked happy dance all week! But I haven't. I have been in a bit of a funk. Not even had a massage or a pedicure or anything! Wish we lived closer. We could par-tay together. Fully dressed of course.