next to the machine
one by one
pulling the dark items from the bin
they wrestled with me
seeming to prefer their present company
more than the cold water of the tub
I pullllllllled
and pullllllllled
thinking I might not be able to rescue one
but finally it would break free
springing out
nearly bounding into the tub
Squeaking accordian doors and a noisy washroom
invite my chubby little crawler
he makes a b-line for the open doorway
mops and brooms dangling at one end tempting him further
I realize I'm going too slowly
pick it up
pick it up
he's coming
he's coming
Briskly I'm scooping the soap
and dumping it over the clothes
when big sister joins us
her bed hair stands on end on one side
an lies in soft, gentle waves on the other
"Bong!" says the washer lid
"Screeeeeech!" go the accordian doors
just before chubby crawler makes it
"Momma! Momma!
I did it all by myself!"
Kneeling down
I see she's dressed herself
and buttoned her own shirt
"Where did you learn how to do that?"
I say in honest disbelief
"From you!"
Her chin rising and smile growing
I suddenly had one of those moments
Moms have them occassionally
when we wish we could freeze things
slow things down to a snail's pace
so we would really feel everything
soak everything in
not miss a single second of what we're in the middle of
Wasn't it just a blink-ago that she was my chubby crawler?
When did she become my I-did-it-all-by-myself-big-sister?
I realize I'm still holding the laundry soap
quickly I swing open one door
clunking the big box down on the churning machine
all of those knobs, buttons and settings catch my eye
I find myself wishing that the two of them had those knobs
I'd set them both on
Supersize
Gentle
Slow
Warm
Extended Spin
Delicates
Spinning and Spinning
living forever
in these squeaky clean
sudsy, shiny
precious
perfect
moments
4 comments:
I feel your Mother pain. I was just in rubbing Abby's legs, she has been having growing pains these past few nights, and I asked her please not to get big. And she said "I have to get big Mom and I have to die so I can be with Jesus." Talk about a tear jerker. How did she get so big. It is like she went from Dora to High School Musical, there was no in between. I want to stop them where they are right now. Being a Mother is so tough!
Adrienne,
I so enjoy your writing..and this captures such a precious moment. I love the line about wishing they had cycle..warm, deleciates ect..very vivid, true, real keep it up
Tracy, it is so tough, isn't it? I think one particularly tough aspect of parenthood is that slow progression towards letting them go. I know that they're really the Lord's and He just entrusts us with them, but that is a challenging truth for us moms imparticularly.
Kristin,
Thanks again, girl for the encouragement. I can't believe I did this, but I e-mailed a copy of "Mr. Arthur" to Dr. Brown, one of my college English profs, and asked him for some constructive criticism. He e-mailed back with several helpful ideas, and he encouraged me to seek getting it published. Isn't that something?
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