2010-03-21 - 11:12 a.m.

HANDS

These hands are cracked and worn

cut and scraped.

A wart grows on one finger

attacked by salicylic acid.

It's roots run deep.

It has been here before,

faced destruction,

only to return

un-welcome like most pain in life.

These hands are plain, simple and strong.

The nails are cut short

without any brightly colored paint.

The only ornamentation of two rings

sparkling with the brillance of diamonds,

precious,permanent and durable.

These hands are worn with years of work

washing dishes,clothes,diapers,

bellies of babies,

and scrubbing of floors.

Today I felt the first arthritic twang of pain

at a joint of one finger

to this pair of hands.

A hint of what is to come.

The stab of pain reminds me

my youth has passed.

I am a woman

I am a mother

I am a wife.

In my life my hands shall hold all they can.

They will be decorated with the design of devotion,

scars and crevices running deep.

They will be dry and brittle,

cracked,

but not broken,

And very beautiful.

These hands come together

palm to palm

With prayer to One

I hope

holds it all

All website contents Copywrite Msafire 2005

I have moved this poem here as it is from a descriptor from long ago on a page that I am updating. Just moving it so it is here should I ever want to read where I have been in reviewing where I currently am! (Always a fun thing I think!)

Last night I started reading Pippi Longstockings to Alexy for a bedtime story. Its a total favorite in my home. However this time I read it with such a different take on it than I did in the past. I have likely read this to girls as a bedtime story three times before over the past 15 years: Once to Katerina, once a few years ago to Sadie and Katie and Raitlin. Now to Alexy as she picked it.

I have a fond memory of the dressing up and dancing and re-enactment of the island princess by the girls a few years ago.

However at this juncture, on this day , when Katie awoke and made Chocolate Chip Cookies (yes all by herself as usual) the first two chapters of Pippi were perhaps NEVER more delightful!

I guess I forgot about the story starting off with Pippi's panacake and cooking making.
Older siblings came to join in on the listening of Alexy's story, which we continued in my bed this AM while Katie was in the kitchen baking.

I think they ALL Thought is was just EVER SO FUNNY considering this is a descriptor SO MUCH like the fun of our home on weekend mornings!

I am proud to have girls with such creativity and joy as Pippi!

I don't even mind that while two are off to Religious Ed class, and the other two are playing with a skateboard and a bike and outrunning the neighbor boys, my time has been spent cleaning up the remaining flour on counters and vacuming the floor.

That and the quick joyful writing as I think though some criticize me, I truly have achieved my dream of the Utopia of what I think home SHOULD BE for kids! And yes- all the beds are made, teeth brush and hair combed this AM on top of it all. I also only have A LITTLE bit of laundry to finish folding.

So I am encouraged it IS Achievable to be super MOM.

I am not so irritated by the school now. I think in the end it will be a good thing for me to have had to rise to the occasion of achieving perfection. I may not have reached it otherwise! ( HA HA!!)

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