September 21, 2010 – Happy Peace Day!

CIRCLE THE WORLD
by Dana Lyons

What if we could circle the world
Flying peace doves beneath the sun?
Giant twenty foot wings of fabric
That are handmade by everyone
Once a year we circle the world
Saying ain’t it time to bury the guns?
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

It's a dream and it's a vision
It's a prayer that we may see
When every person, every creature
Will be treated with dignity
When every war will be a memory
We never shall repeat
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

It’s a parade and it’s a party
Giant puppets with many drums
It’s a song with many rhythms
That is sung in many tongues
It’s a giant snake dance
In every country beneath the sun
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

Happy International Day of Peace.

~K

September 20, 2010 – Good Morning Sunshine!

Each morning as I take my daughter to school, we are so fortunate to drive into the east just as the sun is rising it’s hot pink glare into the morning sky.

Each morning we gasp and declare it’s for certain just the look of pink lemonade.  We then try to figure if it’s higher in the sky than the day before, if it’s light is spreading it's salmony fingers into the horizon or staying a crisp hot circle.

And then, each morning I tell her, ‘Boy, it sure is a beautiful day today, don’t you think?’

Today she responded…. “You know, you say that every day, don’t you, mom?”

I try to, I thought to myself.

~K

September 19, 2010 – Artists at Work

 

“Everything you can imagine is real.”

–Pablo Picasso

I moved some things around so that my kids could play together on Friday.  And before I knew it….little voices questioning each of us and any guests,    “Would you like to come to our art studio?” 

Their imaginations are beautiful. 

An old train table and a package of scented markers turned the playroom of our home this weekend into an ‘art studio’ and it provided all of us with plenty of smiles.

~K

September 18, 2010 – Shut Eye

I should have taken a picture.  Words will have to describe.

After a late night picnic with friends, both of my kids fell sound asleep in their respective car seats on the long drive home.

Heads hanging down, a bottle of water in one little hand, dreams of outdoor games and watermelon in their minds, the picture was perfect.  Side by side sleeping angels. 

My perfect picture of peacefulness for the day. 

~K

September 17, 2010 – Bubblegum & Band Aids

My kids are little.  They will do nearly anything for a piece of bubblegum.  To an extent which makes me crazy.  The two year old says, “Mommy, me behave piece gubble gum?” and the six year old plots and plans, negotiates and barters for a piece of the chewy fun as well.  It’s nonstop from both of them.  Every.  Single. Day.

And then there’s band aids.  I think my daughter scrapes her legs intentionally so she can wear one.  She asks me if things are ‘bandaidworthy’ (yes, I believe I coined that phrase after too many ‘unworthy’ reasons for a band aid).   We spend so much time with them  hanging outside of the grocery cart, lingering over the decision of which colorful  box to purchase for refills.  My floors are covered with the wrappers of band aids and the paper inserts from each package.  They apply the band aids to their bodies as though it’s an accessory, turned at the right angle, facing upwards, in an area certain to be noticeable by all.

Bubblegum and Band Aids.  Such large parts of my day to day life.  They are the cause of headaches and exhaustion of answering the same questions (no you can’t because you’ll put it on my furniture like you did last time and no that bruise is not bandaidworthy, you will be fine and because they cost money, they are not stickers and it’s minty, you won’t like it, trust me)…  I could go on and on.

……………………………………

And then I look at my friends who have older children.   Children who have long since passed the obsession with bubblegum.  Children who grow, as children do and who don’t care if their  band aids have Dora the Explorer or Hello Kitty on them.   And I remind myself that while I’d love to fool myself into thinking that my babies will always be 6 and 2, I know that before I blink, they will be 16 and 12.   And there will be no one to care about all of these little things and no one to bother me about the worthiness of Dora or the wrappers of gubblegum.

So while it is here, I will cherish it.   Lavishly pass it out.  Look into purchasing gum remover at the store (do you suppose it’s near the band aid aisle?) and reward every little freckle with some Hello Kitty stickiness.

Then I’ll laugh.  Close my eyes and hold the memory.  Take pictures.  And appreciate these moments.  These moments that are here only for today, though I wish would last forever.   Today, I will notice and appreciate them for all they are worth- and it is so very much.

~K

September 16, 2010 - Autumn

"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life."
- P. D. James

I saw someone had quoted this and found it to be so perfect for this time of year.   Things are cooling off, leaves are slowly starting to fall, school is back in session and football is beginning.

Perfect fall days… here and more to come.   I want to remember this quote and enjoy each day as it comes.

~K

September 15, 2010 – Just when…

What a day to be grateful for unexpected surprises.

Just when you feel like the world makes no sense, something will happen… a sign of some sort… to remind you that for certain, life is a precious miracle and there is so much each day is worth appreciating and celebrating.

~K