On the way home from church this past Sunday, we asked Mom what she wanted to do with her Mother's Day. Her response didn't surprise us. You see, Mom is literally the most selfless woman I know. She never stops serving her family. Not only does Mom do all the grocery shopping, all the clothes washing (yep, laundry for 8 people), all the cooking, and al[most all] the cleaning (she's delegated appropriate chores to each of us kids, most involving in cleaning), she also homeschools my four younger siblings, teaches a weekly home-school science class at our church each year, drives my three little sisters around to their millions of events and practices every week, keeps up with her kids that are out of the house by frequent phone calls and emails, and hardly ever takes a minute for herself!
I don't know how Mom does it. Well, in a way I do know -- she does it through the strength and grace her Savior provides her with every day. But Mom is also active in pursuing God, in looking for ways to serve Dad and the rest of us, and in giving up her time to others. I'm blown away by her diligence, her patience, her perseverance, her outward reflection of Christ. I love her so much, and I hope I can be even a little bit like her one day!
So. Sunday, Mother's Day. We asked her what she wanted to do with her day. Her response? Go to her parents' house in Ashburn VA (20 min from our house) and do some gardening for Granny (her mom) in hopes of serving her on Mother's Day. How selfless and loving is that?? Mom's choice to spend her Mother's Day serving her own mom is just a small example of the heart she has to serve others and consider others needs more important than her own. She sees serving others as a greater gain than serving herself. How I pray so badly to have this humble mindset like her when I grow up!
I'll let the pictures do most of the talking. I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day, and realize the amazing gifts our moms are to us!
Anna was a little grumpy because she wasn't allowed to help with the gardening...
... but Clark asked her if she wanted to play catch and she brightened right up!
Look at that form .... :P
Happy girl :)
Granny thought she'd give it a shot.... She did quite well!
Love these next two photos of Papa... they're so peaceful to me.
The gardeners, hard at work....
There's my Momma :)
Loading some unwanted bushes into our van so they can be replanted in our yard...
Abs found my old crutches and decided to try her hand at them...
Love this stud....
Clark got the GREAT idea to see how far he could jump :P
... Made it over Tori!
Lovelovelove this next sequence of photos... Anna baaaasically stays the same, and Dad's faces are priceless!
The two mothers :) Love them both so much!
After much begging, I let Dad take a few shots with my camera...
For some reason he was fascinated with taking photos of the planes that flew by (Granny & Papa live near Dulles Airport). I am only including here a fraction of the photos he snapped of planes...
(Not bad, Dad!)
I close with the classic family shot. The first one's great except for me deciding to look down...
... and then the second, Abby decided to close her eyes and Anna looks like she hates the world. Oh welllll, ya can't win em all.
"I don't know how Mom does it. Well, in a way I do know -- she does it through the strength and grace her Savior provides her with every day. But Mom is also active in pursuing God, in looking for ways to serve Dad and the rest of us, and in giving up her time to others. I'm blown away by her diligence, her patience, her perseverance, her outward reflection of Christ. I love her so much, and I hope I can be even a little bit like her one day!" ~ me too Deb, me too, I'd like to be more like my sister, she amazes me! For the record, I do see her heart in you, you are like her in the ways you want to be, in the ways that matter ~ what you've posted here, is a generous as the act that took you all to Granny's ~ what a gift you've given me! Allowed me to be with the family I'm missing so very much ~ well done! Once again you capture not only the outer man, but the inner one as well, that's talent, Clark's winsomeness, Granny's playfulness, Linda's servant heart, your Dad's determination, Abby's mimicry, Anna's complaint, and Molly's sacrifice, and your talent ~ that, and so much more captured in your photos! well done, indeed!
ReplyDelete. . . and Tori's beautiful heart ("beauty," first word that entered my mind when I saw the first photo you took of her, again showing the inside on the outside)! forgive me, how could I forget! and Papa's dignity (agree with your, "Peaceful Papa," description) ~ I love you all! xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteso beautiful. love it, love your family, and LOVE you!
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