Tuesday, April 22, 2014

60 Little Tootsies

Lydia    .    Kathryn    .    Andrew    .    Melanie    .    Alexa    .    Brooke

'Oh, your family must be perfect,' a client sighed as she left a counseling session.  Where she came up with that fallacy I'll never know, as our family is seldom if ever the topic of conversation in that sacred space.  Not a chance, I told her.  Just because grandma has a bunch of letters after her name doesn't mean that she or any of her kin have arrived.  In any way, shape, or form.

We are a typical family in our struggles, our joys, our pain, our celebrations, our concerns, our hopes, our craziness.

This ain't no granny-blog.  Here and there I've shared stories and pictures, but even though these six are the sunshine of my life, they don't appear too often in my writing.  Some things are best left to cherish quietly deep inside, to be pondered and prayed over and not idly or casually broadcast.  But a week doesn't pass when someone doesn't ask me about the gang, so here they are, barefoot in the dead of winter.  I hear that no matching shoes were to be found.

I love this picture.  You can bet it's front and center on my mantle.  Everyone looks so perfect all lined up in their matching gear.  Combed hair!  All looking at the camera!  Gently hugging each other!  Talk about a rare event.  But I hear that one of the shots featured one set of little hands in a death grip around a sibling's neck.  And I'm sure that some level of bribery was required to pull this huge feat together.

We all live hours apart from each other and to have all twelve of us healthy and in one place is a rarity.  Together, we've gone through the agony of brain surgery and the thrill of adoption.  We've read endless piles of books and gathered up oodles of treasures on more walks than I can count.  I've carried and soothed and fed, crooned and hugged and rocked by the hour.  I've been known to speak rather sternly from time to time.  We've painted and colored and created messy masterpieces on kitchen tables, and cuddled up in a tangle of arms and legs and very long hair to watch evening movies.

The name of Jesus is spoken and sung of often in this extended family.  These little ones love Him so, and He's the golden thread that has woven our hearts tightly together.

This is my life.  I love it.  Even though I have been prostrate on the floor in grief or laid in bed awake for hours banging at heaven's door on behalf of one or the other.  When it comes to issues, I try to keep quiet {not always possible, just ask my daughters} and pray til my heart is empty {the only thing I can really do that matters.}

So if you've got 10 minutes to spare, I'd love for you to pour yourself a glass of iced tea, settle in, and page through this online family scrapbook.  Rejoice in birth announcements, catch some creative play days, and listen in on a few one on one conversations.  There's a potpourri of random photo shoots, the miraculous brain surgery saga, some profound wisdom from little lips, and lots of laugh out loud craziness.  You'll also run into a variety of other relations and ancestors who all meld together to form this rather imperfect tribe.

This is my family.  And I love them.




Sharing the gang with Beth   *   Kristen  *   Beth  *  Lyli
 
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20 comments:

  1. OH, our sweet grands---perhaps God's biggest blessing---runny noses, dirty hands, screeching voices, messy clothes, tangled hair and all---LOVE every single inch of them! Your gang is precious!

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  2. You have some very beautiful grandchildren, Linda! And SIX of them! Wow! I'd be happy if one of my sons had a serious girlfriend these days! I think I'm going to be a very old grandmother. But it's lovely to hear about your sweeties and all the fun you have with them. I bet you are a rockin'-fun grandma. And yes, I'm right there with you on the "degrees don't mean the dysfunction is eliminated!" ha! Here's to embracing the messy humanity in us all, my friend!

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    1. Oh yes, don't they all look just like their grandmama?

      ;-}

      Actually, I see bits of myself in each one of them {good and a bit of the not so good!} ... and love when we can have those 1-1 times together, savoring each other's quiet companionship.

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  3. Hi Linda! Thank you for sharing your precious family here. I know what you mean about holding back and letting private be private...but there is something wonderful about family love. What a beautiful group! And to think that you rocked every single one of them! Such a blessing.

    No, we are not perfect. But we sure try our best don't we? And that's got to be enough.
    Hugs,
    Ceil

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    1. I still love that cuddling! They bring me life and energy and laughter. And then ... I need a nap!

      ;-}

      Thanks for sharing my joy, Ceil! Love to you, my friend!

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  4. Hi Linda! I'm visiting from Beth's place. What a beautiful family you have! I have six children and I laughed when I read "60 Little Tootsies." Lots of toenails to clip. :) Thank you for sharing your family here. I'm so glad to meet you.

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    1. And that's one of the many great deals about grandparenting!!!! You have all the fun and then hand the kids back to the parents. THEY can do the toenail duty!

      So fun to meet you, Karin! Thanks for taking the time in your busy schedule to stop by and introduce yourself. Cool!

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  5. They are absolutely beautiful, each one. Can't take my eyes off of them. What gifts they each are. Praise the Lord.

    Love u, and I love your blog also, your writing is so deep and real and healing. Have you ever thought of publishing? Hint, hint....

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    1. These affirmations are a treasure to me. Thank you! I'll keep them tucked deep inside for those days when I wonder if these words in this place make any difference to another soul.

      You've encouraged me so.

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  6. How much do I love this!! The picture is just precious. Forever I was stuck in the bind of envy. I would look at Facebook or talk to people and just wish I had what they had. Then, one day, a patron commented to me on what a "perfect life" I have. You know, Linda, the horrible life my family endured a few years back and the struggles that remain. That one comment made to me slammed me back to reality. Never, EVER, look at someone else's life and wish for it. God has us all where we need to be and if you're struggling, make something good out of it. Use it to help others. We all know how to put on a good face and you never know what others are going through.........

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    1. One of the hugest disasters of the onslaught of social media is the bright, artificial faces and happy clappy stories that are endlessly placed front and center on the screen. For too many, it's all one great big fascade, a delusion that benefits not one soul. It leaves people on the outside looking in with longing, the uncertain one wondering if they've missed the boat. Truth is, we are all broken and wounded and hurting in one place or another.

      You've said it all, Val. No one except God knows what goes on behind closed doors or in the depths of the heart.

      Thanks for being real here. You are an exceptional woman and I am honored to know you.

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  7. Love this post and the scrapbook that it links to! What a lovely family you have!! Blessings to you all!

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    1. They keep me hopping, praying, napping, laughing, praising!

      Thanks, Dar, for taking the time to page through the snapshots. I hope there's been some odds and ends that have encouraged your spirit ...

      ;-}

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  8. Your grandchildren are absolutely beautiful, Linda! I enjoyed the stories behind the photo shoot - bribery and choking necks, that's how things roll when you have little ones around! Haha! Thank you for sharing this side of your life. So precious :)

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    1. Oh there's always a behind the scenes story or two, isn't there!

      ;-}

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  9. I just adore that picture. I'm so glad you shared. Just. Precious. I honestly can't wait to be a grandma but it looks like I will need to patiently wait for now. I took a look through your rolling family album too. I really need to spend some more time here getting to know you. You have such a kind heart. It's always a joy to come visit. Many blessings to you, friend.

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    1. You KNOW you are welcome here anytime, Beth. There's lots of stuff stacked up in the archieves to wander through.

      I love that you come and visit, my friend!

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  10. Oh, Linda! They are so precious! A full quiver of blessings! Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Oh, they're a quiver, alright! I'm already resting up for next weekend when the two littlest will be celebrating their birthdays. Too much fun!

      ;-}

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Welcome to the table, friend!

This is where we gather and hang out. I'd love for you to pull up a chair and jump right into the conversation. Or simply say 'hello.'

l'll be dropping in to visit you sometime soon ...

Linda

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