What I Always Hope to Remember (Part 2)

I’m sitting on my grandparent’s patio this morning in Fargo, North Dakota.  I’m here to celebrate and honor the life of my grandma, who passed away July 22, 2014.  The wind is rustling through the trees and the sound of a lawn mower is roaring in the background, and I’m surrounded by beautiful flowers lovingly tended to by my grandma (she had quite the green thumb!), it’s a glorious day. 

I figure now would be the perfect time to write another What I Always Hope to Remember, because, really, life is so full, short and full, so I want to pause and record, so I can always remember all the small details.  So here we go, here’s what I always hope to remember…

Owen’s sensitivity to other’s distress; sporting a big frown and saying,

 “Crying? Crying?” when he sees an upset baby in a book or

hears an upset child at the grocery store.

Owen learned the Bible story in children’s church about Naaman, 

who had sores all over his body that were healed when he 

dipped into a lake 7 times, he brought home his coloring sheet from the story and would point to the healed Naaman saying, “Owies, owies, owies…” with a big old frown, no matter how many times we explained that he no longer had

owies and that God made him all better, he couldn’t get over the fact that

the poor guy had owies.

The time Daniel and Selah were having their daily wrestling match and 

Daniel had Selah locked between his knees and 

Selah kept calling out for me to help her. 

So I called out, “Tickle his knees!”

And she said, “AAAACHOOO!”

(apparently thinking I said “sneeze!”)

Owen displaying his need for order (although, this doesn’t apply to our house),

by passionately calling out, “UH OH, UH OH, uh oh, uh oh, UH OH!” accompanied with dramatic pointing and deep concern 

when things are a bit out of place;

a bicycle lying on the ground, a tipped over trash can, 

a child’s toy being dropped;

and there is no letting up until the wrong has been righted.

Watching both kids play, run, laugh outside with Daddy 

while I’m elbow deep in warm, soapy water washing the evening’s dishes.

Selah randomly speaking gibberish that she claims is German or Spanish.

Me: “Selah, what are you trying to say?”

Selah: “Oh, mom, if you don’t understand what I’m saying, then it’s because it is German (or Spanish).”

When Selah decides to wear a dress (always, always a dress), with leggings, AND a skirt…my stylish little fashionista.

Owen’s very matter-of-fact “I” statements:

“I tired, I tired…”

“I eat, I eat…”

“I sleep, I sleep…”

“I read, I read book, I read…”

Overhearing Selah “read” a book out loud, either

to herself, one of her dolls (mostly Sadie), or Owen;

she sometimes tries to remember what I’ve read previously

but other times she just makes it up based on the pictures

and they can be some very creative and detailed stories

with animated characters!

The way Owen says “thank you” very politely and calmly

after getting something he has really wanted 

and been fussing/screaming about;

complete opposite dispositions in a matter of seconds

Listening to Selah sing the entire song of Butterfly Kisses

The way both kids love to give out kisses through the

stair railings before nap/bedtime;

squishing those chubby cheeks up to the wood and sticking

out those puckered lips for a big wet one!

How Owen loves to hand out all

of our shoes before we leave the house;

he tries so hard to get the right match

Watching Selah be carefree as she frolics in the grass

on one of our walks and watching as Selah and Owen

hold hands in the ally; I hope they are always best friends

My heart is filled to the brim when Selah

gives an enthusiastic “YUM!!” while eating

a meal; and she frequently will say,

“Thank you for making dinner Mommy!!”

Me: “Time to eat!”

Owen-immediately stopping what he’s doing:

“Eat! YaaaaY! (starts to run while muttering to himself) Run! Run! Run!”

someone was apparently hungry!

Selah: “I have a lot of uncles…and aunties.

Uncles belong to aunties.”

The way Owen giggles out “Stooooop iiiiit!”

while being tickled; then you stop and he says,

“More, more tickle” or “Tickle me! Tickle me!”

The time Selah offered some wise counsel to Owen:

Owen screaming for more fruit

Me: “Owen, stop being ridiculous!”

Selah: Ya, don’t be ridiculous, I used to be ridiculous when I was a kid.”

Selah: “Is there a human in your belly taking care of the baby?”

Selah: “You’re sitting next to your pretty sister!”

After handing Selah a piece of tin foil:
“Look Owen!!!! A new toy!!”

Giggles and galloping ensue;

it's the simple things

The way Owen takes periodic roll calls (especially if in the car or stroller);

Owen: “Daddy?”

Daddy: “Owen?”

Silence

Few seconds later

Owen: “Mommy?”

Me: “Yes? Owen?”

Silence

Few seconds later

Owen: “Selah?”

Selah: “Yes, buddy?”

Silence

Repeat 5-10 minutes later, just to make sure.

Owen crossing his arms and saying,

“OH dear!”

When Owen say’s “Oopsie daisey!”

 Owen’s use of the phrase "of course" after asking him 

if he wants to do something

or eat something or go somewhere:

Me: “Owen do you want to go to the park?”

“Ya, ya, uh huh, ya, of course, of course, ya!”

Me: “Owen, do you want a fruit snack?”

“Ya, yup, oh ya, of course!”

Selah: “Want to go upstairs buddy?”

“Ummmm, yup! Ya! Of course, ya!”

I hear loud, shrill screaming from the bathroom,

Me: “Selah, is everything ok??”

Selah: “I’m just CRAAAAZY!”

True, very true

Owen’s response after being told to do/not to do something

(sometimes repeatedly)

“OOOOOOkkkkk MOOOOOmmyyyyyyy”

very defeated-like

 Selah speaking to Owen:

“I don’t understand you without a please.”

While eating dinner one night Owen did something funny,

so we all chuckled a bit, then, after Owen finished his own little chuckle:

Owen: “It’s NOT funny!!” in a very serious, gravely voice

Everyone starts laughing until there’s tears, while Owen continues to

switch between laughing and growling out “It’s NOT funny!”,

he was wrong, it was sooooo funny!

 The sweetness of Owen gently kissing my arm after he

noticed I had a band-aid on after drawing blood at the doctor

“Owie? (kiss) Owie? (kiss)”

Selah accidentally swallowed a cherry pit after we had

 told her to be very careful not to:

Selah-looking up with wide eyes: “Will I stay alive???”

Very concerned

Daniel: “You’ve got it made bud.”

Owen: “Yuuuuuuuup!”

Selah retelling a joke she heard during storytime at the library,

and getting most of it right until she skipped straight to

an incorrect punch line with lots of gusto and laughter

(her rendition was waaaaay funnier than the actual joke!)

How Owen gets SO stinkin’ excited during storytime at the library

that he stands up, walks up to the librarian, points to the book,

and stutters out his thoughts on the current illustration,

thank goodness we have patient librarians!

How Selah sets up her own little “office space” in our

tiny pantry and “works” at coloring,

writing in a journal, cutting and gluing, using stickers,

and all other 5-year old work

Watching Owen take his first sips of a carbonated drink

and the way he kicked his legs, giggled and grinned ear to ear after every tiny sip

 Selah (after walking out of bathroom):

“My undies will be clean as a whistle!!”

Owen asking Sam (our worship leader) to

sing “Twinkle, Twinkle” during band practice

Selah (after her birthday party):

“Today, they treated me like royalty.”

Very whimsical-like

Owen playing with a Cookie Monster that “eats”,

he looooooves putting objects in his mouth and watching it

disappear and get gobbled up!

The way Owen likes to talk to anybody with ears,

especially at the grocery store. If I’m not in front of him pushing

the cart, he will find the next person and just start talking.

Common conversation starters:

“I Owen!”

(pointing to something in his hands) “Mickey Mouse!” or “Mater.”

“I royal guard!”

“I firefighter!”

“I Chuccabbaca!! Him says roooooaaaaarrr!”

My favorite so far: after noticing a man with a mustache

“Had take my mustache off, no more mustache,

take off mustache, put mustache in trash.”

Poor guy had no idea what he was saying, but the previous day he

had one of those sticky mustaches on and it was a HUGE ordeal trying to get it off.

When Selah and Owen are sitting together on the couch and

Owen gives Selah a drawing request that she will

draw on our magnet drawing board

Calling up to see if everything is ok upstairs:

Selah and Owen periodically coming to the top of

the stairs and yelling, “We’re fine!!!”

Owen singing “What Did The Fox Say”

Watching Selah feed Sadie with her "pumps" (I'll let you imagine what that might mean) and the bobby around her waist,

she's such a little mommy!! And she hopes to be a mommy

who is also a doctor that "takes babies out" one day :)

Owen cruising around our house on his bike and his military helmet on,

he maneuvers that thing pretty impressively!

Owen playing very contentedly at a doll house, 

realizes Selah is no longer near him:
Owen: “Where Selah is?? Where Selah is?”

He sure loves his sister!

I love the life stage I’m in right now, I really do, it is extremely exhausting and trying at times, but it is so full of love and laughter and there are many moments I just wish I could keep these kids of mine little forever.  I know that’s not possible, and I know I will find enjoyment in watching them grow into the people God has called them to be, but for now, I will try my best to focus on all these sweet, funny moments that make up our days, instead of the crazy and difficult moments that are inevitably part of this motherhood journey.