The Tea Party

The cutest little smile, the chubbiest little cheeks, the messy red hair---the things I want to cherish forever...




I think a lot about legacies---the things I want my children to remember about me.  I think even more about the moments I always want to remember about my children.  This morning, I experienced one of those moments with Lydia.  She's home from preschool this week, because she has a very bad stomach virus.  Her diet has been limited to saltines and water.  Today, she had been begging me for a tea party and "brown crackers."  For those not in the mommy world, brown crackers also go by the name of Graham crackers. :)

Against my better judgement, I decided to go for the brown crackers and tea.  I know that in an hour I will probably be scrubbing more carpets, bathing a little girl and probably doing another load of laundry of both of our clothes...but the poor kiddo just needed a little variety.  Most likely, she will throw up the saltines just as quickly as the graham crackers.  Might as well add a little joy to her life, right?

  As soon as I made the choice to agree to the impromptu tea party, I knew I had made the right decision.  Lydia's eyes were sparkling, just because she knew I loved her enough to treat her to this special little moment.  She picks up my new (unlit!) coconut vanilla candle that my friend Tammy gave me for my birthday.  Lydia smiles as she breathes in the rich fragrance.  I smile too.  It's a reminder of friendship, and a welcome scent in our home that quite frankly is not smelling its best after days of sickness.

When her tea and my cup of coffee were poured, I grabbed my Bible and opened it up to a passage in Deuteronomy that talks about passing down God's truth to our children.  In the background, the song, "Oh How He Loves Us" is playing.  I realize how much better I understand God's love for me by the way I love Lydia and Micah.  I can never comprehend it completely, but it gives me a richer glimpse into God's deep love for us.

The melody in the background...the deep realization of God's love for us, the beautiful smile on her face, the freckles dancing on the bridge of her nose, the way her little voice thanks me for her brown crackers...and then begs me for more.  When I calmly remind her that only one cracker is allowed, she says, "Momma, if you give me another brown cracky, I will give you a kissey."
I reply, "Oh, baby..Mommy's protecting you.  Your tummy can't handle any more."
She insists, "I don't need peetected."

My heart melts.  She thinks she's all grown up, and she's got this.

I know better.

Just as I start to think about that thought, I hear the door open in the other room.
In comes Lydia's hero.  Her Daddy.  He just stopped by to say "hi" and check in on his girls. He didn't have to stop by, but he did, just because he loves us.  Hugs and kisses all around for everyone.

I wanted to freeze frame this moment.  The richness of it.  The pure love that was evident.  I dislike that Lydia is sick.  I'm weary and worn from scrubbing, and washing, and worry that comes along with  viruses, but oh, how I cherish every minute of our short lived tea party.

I hope Lydia remembers this moment as party of my legacy.  I will hide it in the Mommy Treasure section of my heart, and I know that it will be part of her legacy in my life.