from my kids

My kids are getting old enough that the cards and notes they give me reveal more and more personality and personal thoughts all the time. This year, my Mother's Day cards were just wonderful. As is fitting for the year and the past crazy 6 weeks we've shared with Elliot, they constructed these cards while I was in the shower getting ready for church yesterday morning-- nothing like flying by the seat of your pants! Somehow they didn't find the narrow time constraints at all difficult and managed to produce some priceless treasures anyway.

Claire's was, of course, just scribbles on a piece of construction paper on which Daniel had written, "MOM".

Aubrey drew a picture of me, complete with arms and legs protruding directly from a gigantic head. A classic 4-year-old portrait all the way.

Jack began by lovingly drawing a picture of a rainbow, only to somehow progress to a picture of the cross with lilies all around it-- on the back of the card wrote, "He is risea," which must have somehow seemed like the logical way to spell "He is risen" in his 6-year-old mind. I'm still not sure of the thought process that led him to such a card and sentiment for Mother's Day, but I love it anyway.

Bronwyn wrote a nice note for me, including, "You're the best mom in the whol world. I think you know why, I've seen lots of moms and you are the best mother of them all." I'm not sure we should be comparing, but I guess if she's going to, I appreciate that she still thinks I'm tops.

Gabriel somehow wrote an entire poem for me in the brief 15 minutes he had. My budding writer.

Beaneath the stars you lay
staring at the moon
And the man in the moon is full with gloom
Because the stars had put on a wonderful show
And the moon has not.

How can I please this mother with six children tonight?
said the moon.
And one of the stars came over and said:
Come join us in our show.
Me? said the moon.
Yes you, said the star.
You're the brightest object at night.
OK, said the moon, but I might not get it right.
Sure you will, said the star.

Then down on the earth you gasp
for in the tracing of the stars it said,

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY