Thursday, May 29, 2008

mental images

I have been working on Ben's graduation announcements. I'm also feeling very melancholy at the moment. Not melancholy as being depressed, but rather as "given to or marked by long, quiet thinking."

When thinking of our children growing up I have a mental image of each of them. In fact, they are much like the photos I'm sharing here.


Rebekah was always very much the "big sister" to each of her siblings. She also fits the description of the "first born" category in the birth order definitions that I've read. She had a very vivid imagination which I credit to no television and reading countless books to her.


Bethany was practically born smiling. It's as though the world was made just for her enjoyment. I love that about her. She is still very sociable and loving. She wouldn't even let Donald rock her to sleep. She would tolerate it for a few moments, then reach out for her bed. She loved following Rebekah around and the attention that her sister lavished upon her. Later she showed the same kind of attention to her younger siblings.
Benjamin was the first son born into a family of girls. He had to kind of break me into the world of boys, including the noises toy trucks and cars made and the fact that anything could become a gun. I wouldn't let our sons play with toy guns for the longest. Finally I relented and they had their holsters and toy guns, and rode a hole into the arm of my new couch pretending it was their horse. He absolutely melted my heart rather quickly.

Daniel was born prematurely and we made many a trek to the hospital taking him breast milk and visiting. I can still remember his sisters and brother lined up on the other side of the glass in the nursery to get a glimpse of him! I had many a long night of feedings every three hours. It took him an hour to eat so those were nights of little sleep. The doctor's didn't give us a lot of hope at first that he would live. God had other plans for him though! God saved Daniel out of the lions' den so to speak and he is healthy and quite a young man.

Hannah is our "youngest." She has never liked being called the baby of the family. She was our mischievous one, always into something. I remember distinctly the day she shaved her upper lip with a disposable razor. She was fine, but I just sat in the floor and cried. She didn't know what to make of that and was concerned for a few seconds until she lost interest in me and found something better to do.
Raising children has certainly been the most challenging thing I have ever done. I wouldn't take any amount of money for the years I've had being at home and teaching them. It was/is my calling in life. I have tried to fulfill it to the best of my abilities. Have I made a lot of mistakes? You better believe it. Has it been hard?? You betcha. Was it worth it? Most definitely!!
Psalm 127:3-5

Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep. (The Message)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Sarah, that was awesome. It's so "larger than life" to think about your children. You are so right about it being the most challenging, but rewarding job on the planet! How I love being a mom. Great post! Love the pictures, too.