It snowed today. The fall was heavy but soft and slow. It was peaceful, as if God was gently shaking cotton balls on us.
We have been having a lazy day. The kids begged for a break and so I released them to play and I read and cuddled a sleepy Bean.
Christopher popped a button on his pants. Normally when this happens I like to leave the item that needs mending to marinate somewhere in the laundry until I have lost the button. Today I asked Christopher to fetch the sewing basket and immediately sewed the button back in place. Christopher was terribly pleased. He and Eden began playing with the contents of the basket. He organized needles while she put all the buttons in a box then happily dumped them on the ground.
It reminded me of playing with my mother’s button box when I had the chicken pox during the Blizzard of 78. I made a long necklace that was so beautiful and pleasing. I remember fingering it with a certain longing. I don’t know why I didn’t ask if I could keep it. I think it was implicit that that buttons would be returned to the box.
Lydia was happily cutting pictures and relating helpful tips from a magazine.
It was relatively quiet and very peaceful. I didn’t make up anything I “ought” to be doing. I enjoyed it and them and was grateful.
It was such a relief to get to the end of this post and read “I enjoyed it and them and was grateful.” Reading, I was beginning to enjoy your afternoon with you and was so afraid that the last paragraph would be something about errant needles stuck where they shouldn’t be, or another falling icicle or at least someone screaming and crying and generally interrupting the peaceful scene.
I’m happy for your couple of hours of beauty and peace.
I loved that post, what a wonderful day.
Sherry,
Isn’t it sad that you had that sense of forboding. Is it just me and the way I lead my life or is it your own experience as a mother of two that made you worry?
I am REALLY working to shift my attitudes so that I enjoy my kids more fully.
Megan,
Thanks. It was so good to enjoy it right then and not just look back and realize it was so good.
Oooh, my grandma had a huge button box (actually an old coffee can full), and I would always pour them out (usually in a box lid, so they wouldn’t scatter) and play with them. I never did anything creative with them, just sifted and sorted and picked my favorite ones. In fact, now that I think of it, I have always insisted on keeping a small button box, even though I am completely unlikely to ever actually need a spare button for anything. Good times!
Oh, I’m bummed I didn’t think of captain’s blog first.
And I liked what you said about a home being clean above. My wife and I share it, and with her busier now I do more, but having things nice does affect mood. I agree.
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