Keep Smiling!!

You know those moments that are so beautiful and perfect you wish them to stay etched in your heart and memory forever? They are not always life-changing instances of great epiphany-like flashes, but simple little pleasures. They are the times you hold your breath just to keep it all still and unchanging while everything inside you is jumping for a way to capture and remember it forever!!! In that twinkling you ache for the camera because as breathtaking as those seconds are, they are the ones that the heart often remembers only by the feelings they evoke but cannot always recall the details it saw with such vivid clarity just ten minutes earlier. As the picture fades, those are the memories you are praying that God lets you keep for always.

I had one of those brief, fleeting moments today. I was outside first with Z, then a few minutes later, E joined us, followed by D-D and finally M-G. After the kids all played throughout the backyard for several minutes, they all came over to the swing set to be with Z. D-D and Z happened to be swinging in sync and M-G and E wanted to do the same. It did not last long, this synchronized swinging, but they were all so happy and joyful to be doing something together...to be going the same way, the same speed, the same rhythm. The smiles on their faces and the laughter in the air was the most spectacular moment of my day. There was no arguing or bossing, no pestering or teasing, but a working together and a comfort in seeing that accomplished.

I closed my eyes to see if I could hold it in. Praying I would see them still. My mind was blank, but my heart was certainly full...

"Keep smiling!!! Keep swinging!!! Stay there!!! I'll be right back!!!" I say as I run get the camera. The moment I did catch on digital was not the moment above, but it was still sweet.