Moments

I'm trying to notice them more.

Moments.

Moments in my life that sometimes feel like a beautiful dream, like a reality I hoped for as a young girl but wasn't completely sure would be mine. I should have known. I am a firm believer that God places our deepest desires in our hearts for a reason. I think He wants them to be ours and wants us to use our time and talents to achieve them.

I'm not saying all dreams come true. I wanted to be an Olympic figure skater. Never mind that I grew up in South LA and to this day have never set foot on a block of frozen ice wearing a boot with a thin blade on each foot. Then at 15 I thought I'd play Olympic soccer someday. This being the time when Mia Hamm (about age 15) was blowing minds across the world. Yea, for me, it wasn't happening.

I believe God put those dreams there too. After all, competing in gymnastics (my closest run with figure skating) and playing soccer led me through experiences and to people that I needed in my life, moments that shaped me.

My mom, now famous in our little household for dropping off boxes of junk to sort though memories, brought a box of books on her recent trip for us keep for our own children to enjoy one day or sell for far not enough in return at Half Price Books. In that box I found this little gem.

A few weeks ago while flipping through I stumbled upon this page.

Of all of the choices.

And here I am today, a mother. One sweet little boy, a baby watching out for us from Heaven, and another little Cajun Shrimp growing bigger every day all look at me and see a mother.

It's my dream as reality when W hustles across the parking lot to the library holding just three fingers of my hand, looking at for cars, and alerting me when one is anywhere in the vicinity.

I am so blessed that it's my reality that he can sing "You Are My Sunshine" with me in the few moments before he's restless in my arms and would rather fall asleep in the comfort of his bed.

God placed these dreams within me and has given me the grace to fulfill my role. I pray that I may always cherish this blessing, this responsibility, and seek to pattern my own life as Mother after the Blessed Mother.