Saturday night David and I were talking about our plans for Sunday. We’re not usually ones to make a big deal over the greeting card companies’ holidays, so Sunday promised to be a pretty low-key event: church, lunch, rest, play. The usual. But as we ran through all the possible options, David, in a fit of inspiration, looked at me and said, “Hey – do you want for me to take Alex to church tomorrow and you can stay here?”
And I promise you that before he even finished his sentence, I screamed, “OKAY!”
Y’all know that I love my church. I love GOING to church with my family. But getting to stay home by myself? Unexpectedly?
That’s a SERIOUS reason to praise the Lord. :-)
So my day started with some coffee, and some sweet presents, and then the little man and David headed out for breakfast and church.
Then I had church right here in my own house. I cranked up my music, started making my way through my to-do list, and I thanked Him and praised Him all morning long. I really did, y’all. You may not have known that laundry could be an act of worship, but I’m telling you that yesterday, in my house, it was. This is a crazy time of year for me, and it blessed my soul to be able to do a little “freestyle†worship in solitude. Totally energizing.
And if that weren’t enough joy for one day, yesterday afternoon something happened to me that has never happened before.
When I was a little girl and would watch Miss America, I would wonder why the winner always cried. I didn’t understand that. I mean, if you’re happy, IF SOMEONE PUTS A LARGE CROWN ON YOUR HEAD, why in the world would you cry? And how could the emotions come on that fast? I wondered if they secretly practiced their “pageant cry†in the mirror – if they worked for hours to get the whole crying-laughing-streaming tears routine just like they liked it.
I did experience “the joyful cry” when we had the ultrasound that showed us we were having a boy, but the crying wasn’t unexpected because I was an emotional wreck heading into my doctor’s appointment that day. So it didn’t come at me from out of nowhere…I sort of expected to bawl my eyes out, truth be told.
Well, yesterday afternoon the phone rang, and my aunt was on the other end. She said, “Guess what I got for Mother’s Day?â€
And I’m thinking, well, it’s a pretty wide open field – I honestly have no idea.
So I played along and said, “I don’t know. What?â€
She said, “I got a yellow fleece snuggly, and a yellow bib that says, ‘I love my grandma.’â€
Which means.
My cousin Paige.
Is.
Pregnant.
Her first baby.
14 weeks along.
Y’all, I don’t know what emotional reservoir that news tapped into, but I have never cried tears of pure joy so spontaneously in my life. To know how badly Paige has wanted this baby, to know that she is the most tenderhearted person in the free world and will be the BEST. MAMA. EVIR., to know that Alex will have another cousin, but more than anything to know the joy that is in front of her and how it will absolutely knock her socks off…well, I had a moment.
All I needed to complete said moment was a crown, a scepter, and a large bouquet of roses, because I am telling you, I had that whole Miss America cry DOWN. I perfected it in mere minutes.
So for the rest of the day, no matter what Alex did, I would think about Paige, and everything she has to look forward to. I guess I was talking about the big news a lot, because Alex kept saying, “What’s tomorrow, Mama? PAIGE’S! BABY!â€
After supper I made homemade chocolate pudding – it’s my Mamaw Davis’ recipe, and it is slap-yo-mama good (appropriate, isn’t it, for Mother’s Day?) – and apparently the pudding made such an impression on Alex that he thanked God for it twice last night when he said his prayers.
And as I listened to Alex say his prayers – as he thanked God for the chocolate pudding, and the chocolate pudding that got on his shirt, and for outside, and for colors, and for Paige, and Paige’s baby, and for carseat (yeah, I know – but he thanked Him for it), and for family, and for playing trains, and for tub, and bed, and pajamas, and Cheetos, and about 20 other things – I had church, in my own house, for the second time on Mother’s Day.
Sweet, sweet Paige. And that sweet little baby. The two of them have absolutely no idea what they’re going to mean to each other. So many blessings, so much joy – just right around the corner for their family.
It was a really, really good day.
I am so happy for Paige!!! Please tell her congrats for me when you talk to her! How exciting for the whole family and especially Chox!
I too, do not cry joyful tears unless pregnant. What a wonderful day you had. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you had a fun day at home by yourself. LOVE IT! :)
I love your presents too. What a fun bag! Where did he order it from?
hee hee – Slap-yo-mama good!
Congratulations to Paige. We got to tell our parents about our first on Mother’s Day too! It WAS a lot of fun. But you’re so right, we had no idea how blessed and full we would truly feel until we met our little bundle!
I love how you enjoyed your Mother’s day! And what a cute bag. That D…he knows what a mama wants!
You have to post that recipe unless it is an “ancient Chinese secret”. (Hopefully you got that.)
Glad you had a great day! I’ll be looking for you on stage at the next Miss America pageant. I think if you can cry like that they automatically put you through to the top 5 or something!
Merritt, I knew you’d be excited b/c you are always so sweet to ask about Paige.
Addie and Heather, y’all are so kind to give my sweet hubby credit for the bag, but credit in this case really belongs to Alex’s Mother’s Day Out teachers. And I can tell you that they bought the bags at Hobby Lobby, and one of the teachers drew the flower on it with a Sharpie, and then they let the kids color all over the front. So, you too can have such a masterpiece. :-) It is adorable and instantly became my purse.
Fellow non-joy-cryer (sp?) Lori :-), it really was a great day.
And Robin, I SO remember “ancient Chinese secret” – and I assure you that the pudding recipe isn’t one. :-) I’ll post it sometime tonight.
Ah, congratulations to Paige! When I was reading about your joyful response to the news of Paige’s baby, I couldn’t get the picture of Mary and Elizabeth (Luke chapter 1) out of my head. :)
Oh the sweetness of being pregnant having a baby…that would make me cry anytime I hear anything that involves, embryos, fetuses, infants, childbirth etc. I’m a total sucker for babies!
And by the way, I recently found your link ‘BooMama Recipes’ on your front page and copied them for keeps! Thank you…I made the ‘Kim’s Breakfast Casserole’ last night and baked it this morning – delish! So whenever your ready to give up that Chocolate Puddin’ recipe I’m ready for ya! (If I already told this I’m sorry) :)
What – you can MAKE chocloate pudding?!?! I thought it came from a box?!?!
PLEASE share the recipe for this hopeless Canadian who has never had REAL chocolate pudding.
What wonderful news for your fmaily. SO happy for you. gotta love tears of joy!!
So glad you had such a wonderful Mother’s Day! How cool of D to give you that time by yourself. I love that Alex remembers to thank God for everything, even his carseat (and Cheetos? I’m with him on that one.) Congratulations to Paige. How exciting for your aunt, too!
I’m not sure I have your name right, but I think you leave comments for me on my Flight Song. I decided to check yours out, and just picked one: The Mother Lode.
Do you realize you write very, very well? I love the way you describe things, and how well you put it together. Just wanted you to know. Judith
Judith – I do leave comments for you on your blog. And thanks so much for the kind words. I write like I talk – for better or worse…except my accent’s not NEARLY as bad when I write. :-)
YOU write beautifully – y’all have quite the writing legacy in your family.
I’m really glad you stopped by this morning….