not a keeper

Hey there,

So this is the last week of school for my children and it has been so busy with events to partake.  Everyday, there is something: Monday, an attendance ceremony with gym awards,  then Gus's class awards and reading theatre.  Tuesday, elementary school concert.  Sami sang in a quartet and Sarah and Gus both played the bongo drum.  Wednesday, Sarah's class awards and summer party bash.  Today, Thursday, Sami class awards and closing chapel, then they are home and school is out.  Lots of things to be a part of yet try to get things done for "ministry" at the same time.  I know, sounds like I am complaining and I definitely don't feel like the "Homeroom mom", I am the farthest thing from it.  My kids come home everyday from school with homework papers or papers that they have completed and Gus says, "you can show mom, but she will just throw them away."  It is true.  I am not a keeper.  I don't get into the nostalgia of keeping things that maybe someday, years later, I will look at and it will help remind me of the "good ole days" and I will tear up.....  Nor, do I want to hand to my children someday all of their papers from 13 years of school and tell them to keep them.  BUT, to my surprise.... as I go to these events, the school concert for example, I look at Sami and I am overwhelmed with how big she is and I cannot believe she is singing in a quartet with three other boys and is doing great and then something crazy happens.... I get this lump in my throat and my eyes get watery and I feel so proud of her.  Then, it is Gus's class, he gets an award for being a Math and Reading Monster and it happens again, this awkward feeling in my nose and I tear up....  He is so good at his schoolwork!  Okay, so then it is Sarah's turn and I see her up in front of a hundred people in a choir and she is turning out to be so pretty.  She has rythym (definitely my side of the family), she is enjoying her moment and I am struck by her beauty of who she is becoming as a girl who desperately tries to love God daily and figure out what that looks like for her.  And tears just flow.  It is like everyday is a hormonal day....  What is that???  Am I going to be the mother who starts keeping things????  Gosh, I hope not.  Maybe though I am learning that I love my kids and can feel so proud of them.  Even if I am not the den mother who organizes all the children to buy the teacher a gift, I am the mother who does want to be at these events and encourage them and love on them to be who they are created to be daily.    I may not be a keeper but I am a good mother even if Gus, daily, asks for a dog and daily, we say no, and daily he acts hurt and surprised at our response and pouts.... it is so aggravating!!!!

Oh, by the way, random thought, yesterday it poured and guess what????  It hailed forever.  We had mounds of ice that looked like snow when it was complete.  Who knew Africa could get hail, on the equator????  Exciting times!!