small voices

Today was the last day of seminary for this school year.  It's a bittersweet day - I love starting my day with the spirit - talking with a great bunch of people, about the scriptures and god and how the principles they teach can improve our daily life.  Oh how I will miss my interactions with these awesome teens and their moms.

But as with everything rewarding, seminary takes work, so to celebrate the lessening of my work load, I did what I should do way more often... I played with my kids.  Well, Bel was at school and Jack had been sent to his room for the tantrum he threw when I turned off the tv.  So, I played with Sage.  She jumped off the steps into my arms, she jumped off the couch into my arms, she jumped on the mini trampoline (she loves jumping), we tickled and laughed, she rode mom like a horse, we conversed in jibberenglish, we played hide and no one seek - covering ourselves with a blanket and whispering, she would get all nervous and intense when she heard Jack moving around upstairs, we ate crackers and veggies and dip with our fingers, then it was nap time.  When I took her upstairs to brush her teeth, she grabbed my face, pulled me in close and started telling secrets - whispering sounds so closely and softly in my ears that it tickled - this is one of my favorite things in the world, so innocent, so sweet, just an excuse to be close and soft - a reminder that the most valuable voice in my life is the still, small voice.

I can't quite describe how fulfilling it is to me to have positive interactions with my children.  The majority of my life is maintenance - a never ending list of things to do - perpetual clutter, endless dishes, cleaning immediately undone, laundry days that roll around so quickly I can't believe another week has gone by, planning and preparing, fulfilling responsibilities, driving, errands, nagging, disciplining, tantrums, eternal bedtimes and let's not forget whining - but every now and then I have a moment when I hear the still, small voice tell me that the most important thing I should do, is play with my kids, engage with my mini humans - and so I do and it is such a refreshing break from life maintenance.

*I wish I had beautiful photographs of every game Sage and I played, but the truth is, we were both unbathed, in jammies, with messy hair, remnants of breakfast on our clothes and faces - the real beauty of all these experiences could not be captured by an iphone pic (not to mention if Sage sees a piece of technology then all fun and games end and she focuses in on the phone, tv, ipad, etc) BUT since I'm lazy and when I see a post without a picture, I'm immediately disappointed, here is a video to prove that Sage loves jumping.