Soon, my day will be filled with the normal and holiday activities that await me. I will become preoccupied with the excitement of upcoming festivities and the responsibilities that come with them.
There are things I HAVE to do today. Bake for our huge women’s Christmas event tomorrow night. Gather all the items that will be taken to help make the event a “Vintage Christmas”. Finish preparing my talk for a Christmas women’s brunch in Vancouver, Washington on Thursday. Take care of the details of being gone from home for a week. Finding a ride to the airport on Wednesday.
But for now…
For now I am sitting in a house that just minutes ago became very quiet and nearly empty. The echo of my children’s laughter is still ringing in my ears, but is fading all too quickly. The late nights, the card games, the walks and talks. I already miss the sweet voices that have morphed from precious baby babble to amazing adult conversations, seemingly overnight. My soul sings to the background noise of siblings reminiscing and sharing stories of their childhood – those common memories that belong solely to them. My heart thrills as I hear my married kids interact, joke and love each other in a beautiful rhythm all their own.
More history was made in this house over the past week. New memories were formed. The walls of this house now officially broken in by the unique personalities and characters of each Jarvis family member. I’m sure that the walls bowed a bit from the fullness of love and laughter that filled all the once-too-quiet spaces.
So, though I have more things to do than I have hours to do them, I will sit here for just a moment and nestle deep in the sweet noise, the beautiful mess, the precious chatter and the boisterous laughter that still envelop my heart and limbic system. And for all things this, I will be thankful all over again.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
Ephesians 1:16 – I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly…
Philippians 1:3 – Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
