Like Sand in the Hourglass...

...so are the Days of our Lives.
Wasn't that the name of an old soap opera, back in the day?
Or maybe it's still running, for all I know...

I remember my Aunty Sharon used to be pretty hooked on soaps back when she still lived with Gram.
Wild little thing, that she is...

Regardless...I kind of love the title.

It suits the "here and now" of my life, quite well.
I feel like I am watching my children sprout up and grow right before my eyes.
It's like it's happening right while I'm looking at them...and there's nothing I can do about it...

Maybe that's why I keep having babies...

And even though some days - like today for example - are somewhat akin to Madness with spills and messes...and even a ginormous grease fire on my stove, to boot....

 ...Even though I just put that blasted tent back in the basement...and got their room back in order so that one could at least walk through it....and maybe even see the floor for a day or two....

This is my fleeting, blink of a life...

These days of bed-headed little boys....
And of waddling, very pregnant me...

The days of load upon load upon load upon load of laundry...

The days where rest time is not an option, or else I shall lose my sanity...
And the days where I just scrubbed my floor, but now there's milk and cereal all over it...

Are also the days of mid-morning tea parties, courtesy of treats sent back from Grammy...
And of grocery shopping in my living room.
Today, I bought cherries and fifteen matchbox cars.
Score.

They are the days of school on the couch.
...with sounds and letters finally starting to click and make some sense for one little boy...

And of Magic TreeHouse Books by the fire being what makes the biggest boy oh sooo slowly start to discover the love of reading for himself...

 If this love grows...well, that for me, equals a successful school year.

 These are the days of reading out loud during breakfast...
And of making grand "Carnival" plans for when Daddy gets home from work.

One dollar gets you in for "free" and allows you to play every game as many times as you'd like...
My boys are learning the worth of money...
...And of the many many ways one might be able to get said dollar...

 They are crazy days where the Littles get "the boot" outside because the inside was just getting too nuts.
And then the Mama remembers to "slow and to see" for herself.

So, she sits and she swings...
She laughs and she plays...
And she fills up the little love tanks...that she may have depleted just a bit during the chaos of the morning...

She talks, and she bends low.
She laughs, and she walks alongside.

She says "I love you," with more than just words...
And she remembers that little hearts are fragile.

Might she remember these lessons for tomorrow....

 More of You ~
And less of me.
Clear my eyes ~
Help me to see.

Little lives...
Give me grace.
To hear their hearts ~
And see Your face.

Give me joy ~
A heart for You.
Fill me up ~
To start anew.

Guard my heart.
Protect my soul.
A brand new day ~
To start out whole....

Because His mercies are new every morning....
And because tomorrow is a brand new day.