I love you boys.
I love your bellybutton reminders that you were homegrown inside of me. That we know each other inside out. Literally.
I love what a delicious mix you both are of me and your dad. But in such different ways. There goes Pete’s lips and my blue eyes on one and my temperament and Pete’s build on the other.
Blond. Both of you. Two baby album hunts later and we realize that you got that from both of us. We’d forgotten our roots were once blond too. I love that you teach me lessons I wasn’t aware I needed to learn. With your chubby fingers and wet kisses you shape me. You mold me into a mother. Parts of me have been pummeled and punched into unrecognizable shapes. My heart has undergone major work by these two mini surgeons who operate on me, oblivious.
And I feel the hand of the Father guiding the scalpel, cutting away the layers of myself that get in the way of himself. He wraps himself around baby hands and gently, delicately dissects who I used to be and shows me who I am meant to be. I have far to go. I take baby steps.
I laugh a lot. About a lot of nonsense. Burps and farts take on unimaginable significance in the eyes of boys. So we roll together and wrestle on the floor and let rip our joy.
I love the myriad different dimensions of love you are teaching me. There is nothing guarded about it. Love begets love. And when you hurl yourselves, your discoveries, delights and fears into my arms I am smitten. I return that love a thousand times a thousand. I loved you first my boys. I loved you first.
I love you like a steel drum beat on a Caribbean beach. I love you light blue and deep dark night. I love you starbright and hot as the sun. I love you to the beat of the bongos. African feet stomping the rhythm of my love. Undeterred, determined and delighted.
I love you.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Awwww. Makes me want to go hug my kids. And kiss their sleeping faces.
Do It!
Awwwww, is right! This was so sweet. It’s amazing what having children does to a gal. I can hardly remember life before them. That’s a happy and a scary thought all wrapped up in one.
I know right – life before kids? I believe there was a lot of sleep back then!
This is SO perfect. I love it.
This is absolutely beautiful.
Great, glorious letter. Mentioning farts in my house always works magic. Fart talk cuts through tears and fights and bad attitudes. My kids taught me that.
There’s nothing like the magic of a fart – who knew indeed?!
This is a spectacularly beautiful letter. And it inspires me to do the same — maybe I’ll write a love letter to my two boys and tuck it away someplace safe.
Heartwarming for a tuesday morning!
Beautiful…you put into words exactly how I feel about my 2 boys. Thank you for reminding me this morning.
Oh boys are the best – aren’t they. All wild love and tender champions of their mothers. Boys are wonderful.
this is soooo sweet! and so touching. i love the idea of writing letters to your children – thank you for the inspiration!
Ah…makes my heart go all a-flutter. I once read a quote that said..Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. I love that.
Also made me think of the other night when my oldest said…”I don’t want to be a daddy when I grow up.” Oh, I ask, why is that? “Because they have stinky toots.” Truth from the mouthes of babes.
Have a great day!
Yes, I’ve heard that expression before. I love it and it often colors what I write.
(And I’m laughing out loud about the “stinky daddy toots” – wait till I tell my husband about that one!)
Beautiful. Especially this: “I love that you teach me lessons I wasn’t aware I needed to learn.” Amen, sister.
This is just so sweet. So personal and motherly… your boys will love looking back and being able to read these wonderful words to them.
Just beautiful. I never knew having kids would bring so much joy. They warm my heart.
I am constantly surprised by it!
I love how you love…
I’m from an all-girl family and us three girls had a girl each… I’m praying for a grandson one of these years.
God must be playing to our strengths! I have all brothers and now (so far) all sons. It’s (mostly) my comfort zone.
oh…. who i was and who i am meant to be. He certianly shows us through them, doesn’t He? this is utterly beautiful and even though it is your story… i realize more vividly that it is also His way… thank you for the beautiful pictures of your heart and His today!
Gary Thomas’ book “Sacred Parenting” does such a wonderful job of exploring this theme – how God uses our children to shape us and teach and discipline us into who He wants us to become. It’s been a great read for a new mama. But I would recommend it to anyone!
I think that I actually just heard my biological clock tick. That is beautiful!
Ha! Too funny – my favorite comment of the day!
Precious. What power little boys wield over their mamas.
How much love can be packed into one heart? Surely mine–like yours–must now be too big for my body.
Thank you for sharing these dear thoughts.
Exactly! It often feels like my heart might just explode with all that’s crammed into it!
Oy. My heart beats in overwhelmed rhythm with yours. These children– they fill it to bursting. Your words are beautiful.
Such a sweet post! I can tell you love your boys a lot! They are very lucky