Grace's Blessing

Grace was blessed at home July 24. It was nice to have family and friends there. I also found it less stressful having the blessing on Saturday.

After the blessing, Grace couldn't take her eyes off her daddy. It was the cutest thing. She would just look at him and smile.

Great-Grandpa Anderson holding Grace. He was cute bouncing to quiet her.

My little girl

If Grace could talk she would keep asking when her blessing was going to happen, how much longer and who's going to be there. She would have tried on her dress several times twirling around in circles. She would ask if she could wear a little make-up and I would have to tell her no. She would ask if instead of a headband if she could wear a tiara. We would fight about which shoes she will be wearing. I win and she will be wearing little tenie shoes with pink ribbon for laces. She would ask for her finger nails to be polished and that she needs a special bracelet too (good thing Mema already thought of that). Again, she would be in her dress in front of the mirror dancing side to side. She would talk about how she will be riding in a beautiful carriage to church because of course, it is her special day. With a sparkle in her eye and a smile, she would tell me how perfect she wanted to look for her many future eligible suitors. I would have to disappoint her when I explain that the blessing will be at home. We would fight about which shoes she will be wearing. I win and she will be wearing little tenie shoes with pink ribbon for laces.

She would wake up with a glow and a big smile knowing that it is her blessing day. She would say how excited she is to be in our family... if Grace could talk.

July 13

It has been 3 years since I lost Sylus. I think of him daily. When I look at my kids, I think about how he would fit in. I wonder what he might be like. I think of him being a guardian angel over his brothers and sister. Heaven knows I need all the help I can get. I like to think although he's not physically here, that I have a relationship with him. I think of him with family and friends babies that have past too. Interesting enough, they have all been boys. I can't believe that I've been blessed with 2 kids since then. They are the last ones to be with him. When Grace was born and they put her on my chest, she looked like Sylus. When ever my little family is together, I can feel Sylus is around and I know my family is complete.

Me

I am a mother. I smell of my choice of perfume and baby spit up. My hands are softened by Dawn dish detergent. The bags under my eyes are slathered with Preparation H. I exfoliate with sugar and a honey mix. I am late to church with my kids in toe... and I forgot to put on my slip and a bag of distractions for my 2 year old. My toe polish is half worn. Nails are uneven. Two of them are broken. I pretend to be glamorous by walking in high heels although they kill my feet. My hair is several months behind on seeing a salon. My diet (if you want to call it that) consists of Pepsi, daily medication and eating from the kids' plates as I clean up after each meal. I do laundry, 2 loads. I lose a sock to a pair. The dishes are clean but still in the dishwasher. My clothes are built for scrubbing floors on my knees, kids to wipe their noses on, stained from last weeks spaghetti dinner, and a bleach spot or two from using Comet on the kitchen sink. My exercise routine is hauling laundry up and down the stairs, jumping on the trampoline with the kids, bending over as I pick up the house. I'm skilled at Lego creations. I know how to work the sprinkler system. I've put in a garbage disposal. I pull weeds and mow the lawn. The big dresser in the room downstairs? Put their by me. Don't mess with this girl when she knows what she wants. Many great memories of the kids but forgotten because I haven't written them down. I can change a tire on a bike AND car. I check all the fluids in the car and fill them up as needed. I put air in the car tires. I don't sew. I can cook, but don't ask me to bake cookies... unless you're fine with Nestle Tollhouse break'n'bake pre-made dough. Each of my kids has a bedtime routine that I made just for them. I pray for my kids daily. I get choked up as I drop them off on their first day of school... even though one is in 4th grade. My kids are not dressed to perfection. They wear their daddy's socks to church because they can't find their own. One of them thinks it's great to drink out of the dog's dish and I don't say a thing - I actually find it amusing. They've gone to bed dirty from playing in the ditch and sweating from riding bikes. I know all of the Sesame Street characters. I can speak a foreign language... taught by Dora. I get nightmares from reading Goosebumps to the boys.

I love being a mom. Wouldn't it trade it for anything in the world.