She takes Little Monkey to gymnastics. Her Little Monkey comes home with us from music class. We meet to run, we meet to eat, we meet to make it in this crazy season of life.
We weathered the acid reflux years together, all screaming babies, dancing toddlers and not nearly enough sleep. The soundtrack of our lives then...The Jackson Five and Wee Sing and Pretend. The soundtrack now...Annie, The Sound of Music and "Poop on the Potty". We survived the witching hour with tricycles and muddy puddles of melting snow waiting for daddies to come home. Now...Legos, dress ups and a pot of chai.
We potty trained not just one set of toddlers together, but two (who ever said positive peer pressure isn't effective?). We pray together, run together, process this crazy life that is made up of so many kids but also so many dreams and gifts and talents that we long to utilize. I have cheered her on as she has so bravely entered back into the working world (where you get paid). She has cheered me on as I have tentatively but steadily stepped back onto the stage (where you don't get paid). We share good books, good music, and great food and wine!
In her words, it is a dance. The Mom Dance. It has been my sanity, a source of life and joy and grace. She picks up my big monkeys from school so I can stay home with a sick baby monkey. I bring her soup when she is crazy mad packing for 10 days out of the country. It makes life work. It makes the crazy manageable.
She kept the babe for me so I could simply go sit at my favorite coffee shop and regroup.
This beauty is more than a pretty swirly froth...it represents the grace of community, the gratitude of a quiet moment to treasure. Isn't it a beauty?
Lisa McCowen, it is such a joy to dance with you (Zumba, anyone?)!
My encouragement to the rest of you...find a dance partner to do this crazy life with. We girls need each other. It doesn't take away the crazy, but it makes it a lot more fun!
PS...Props to the best little coffee shop east of the Mississippi, Quixotic Coffee! These peeps are crazy about coffee. And they can make a mean latte with almond milk. Heaven in a coffee cup.
3 comments:
I am so glad you have found your dance partner! This is beautifully written friend and a joyous reminder that we really do need one another. Life is not meant to be lived solo. Yay for Lisa. Yay for dancing to whatever music fills your soul in the moment.
Tears here. What a beautiful tribute to our life together, friend! I feel your givenness (to me) so keenly in this season--you have been given (back!) to me as a companion on this journey. You a radiant sign of God's deep and faithful provision. Thank you. Thank you for making my foray back into the teaching world possible. It's shown me *how* significant our work as moms is. Here's to more music--ole, ole, ole, ole! (shimmy)
I love you, Joy!
Yes, yes and yes! Still looking for a dancing partner here in Canada and it's maddening. So happy you two have had each other during the hardest times. So sad that you are moving onward to new things and prayerfully, a beautiful new community. Love you both.
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