She won’t be a stranger April 30, 2010

If she had lived she would have been over a year old. She would have been toddling around on her tiny feet and lisping a few words. I can see her so plainly, Marilla. Oh, I know now that Captain Jim was right when he said God would manage better than that my baby would seem a stranger to me when I found her Beyond. I’ve learned that this past year…and when I meet her again I’ll know her–she won’t be a stranger. (from Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery)

This isn’t exactly a Mother’s Day quote, but I am using it because today would have been the second birthday of my April Baby. As I decorate cakes this weekend for a church dessert auction, I will wonder what my two-year-old’s party theme would have been. What sort of cake would I have made for April Baby? Which of my friends’ toddlers would be here, filling my little house with joyful noise? I guess by now we would have a little training toilet in the bathroom and crayon scribbles on the refridgerator.

Today I am not sad, as I thought I would be. I am content with the life I have, the wonderful little Benjamin I have. I love my little April Baby still and treasure that memory. But I can’t find any tears of regret or sadness today. You might think I’m crazy (you wouldn’t be the first to think it), but I’m actually having fun imagining what a birthday party in Heaven must be like. And I am using today as a reminder to pray for those who have lost little ones to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, accidents, etc. It is a hard road, but it does get easier with time. And there are so many waiting for us in Heaven, throwing parties that we can’t imagine. My heart is very tender to those of you whose pain is so fresh.

Shanna will post for the next two days and I will resume the Mother’s Day quotes on Monday.

Mother’s Day- sisterhood repost April 29, 2010

This is a repost from a couple of months back. I thought it would be perfect for my Mother’s Day tribute quotes this week.

Mothers were the same all through the centuries…a great sisterhood of love and service…the remembered and the unremembered alike. (from Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery)

 Benjamin and I were in Walmart yesterday on a quick errand to get more clothes hangers and safety pins for the semi-annual children’s consignment sale, Dittos for Kiddos when a lady stopped me to tell me to be thankful for my baby. She said to remember how blessed I am to have him, to enjoy the moments when he’s all mine. She said before I know it, he’ll be sixteen. She said to show him grace. And she said to learn from my mistakes. Then she said, “I know what I’m talking about, girl, ’cause I’m a mama too.”

She was a little under twice my age, a different race than I am, probably at Walmart for a different reason than I was. But we were the same in so many ways, part of the great sisterhood of love and service. Mothers.

More for mother’s day April 28, 2010

My mom is da mom. She never had another life, like my dad, who was probably secretly a gung fu action hero spymaster assassin before he was a dad. She was always a mom—she was practically born that way—but that’s okay. She is really super-duper. She is not afraid of heights. She can climb a tree in two seconds flat and tear me—poor thing—from the grasp of the evil tree, just like that. 

(from Alvin Ho: Allergic To Girls, School, And Other Scary Things By Lenore Look)

Mothers Day Quotes April 26, 2010

I thought it might be nice to post some of my favorite children’s book quotes on motherhood in advance of Mother’s Day so you can use them in your cards or other Mother’s Day gifts. Some of these are going to be re-posts that you have already seen on the blog. Also, if you know of one that we haven’t posted, this would be a good time to share it in the comment section. Mother’s Day is May 8.

“See,” said Hook in answer to Smee’s question, “that is a mother. What a lesson! The nest must have fallen into the water, but would the mother desert her eggs? No.” (from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie)

I like this one–a pirate’s definition of a mother. So true. The pirates had seen a nest floating on the lagoon, and the Never bird was sitting on it. Do you know any true mother who wouldn’t do the same?

237 Words Meaning Happy April 25, 2010

The Porpoise language has 237 words that mean “happy,” and Molly had actually chosen the one denoting the happiness derived from having one’s belly tickled by seaweed.  Ammm doubted that Molly was feeling this particular happiness, but out of politeness used the same word in responding. (from Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson)

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have so many words meaning happy?  I mean, it would be hard to keep them all straight, probably, but a culture that develops such an extensive vocabulary to denote various forms of joy has got to be fun to live in.

Spring April 24, 2010

Spring surpassed his wildest hopes. (from The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien)

Always should, sometimes does April 23, 2010

“She slept well and arose refreshed, as a consecrated spirit always should and sometimes does.” (from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin)

New ideas April 22, 2010

The fact that she had a nut for a head did make new ideas difficult for her mind to grasp. (from Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey)

Kisses April 21, 2010

For most of his life Peter had not understood why anyone, girl or boy, would want to do such an unappetizing thing as put their mouth together with anyone else’s.  Lately, though, since he’d bet Molly, the idea seemed less and less repulsive and more and more intriguing. (from Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson)

Lucky April 20, 2010

And suppose that you lived in that forest in France,

where the average young person just hasn’t a chance

to escape from the perilous pants-eating-plants!

But your pants are safe! You’re a fortunate guy.

And you ought to be shouting, “How lucky am I!” (from Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss)