Last night I was getting ready for bed and I felt completely exhausted, kind of like a dishrag that had just been wrung out and tossed aside. And as I stood in the shower and let the water run over me, I thought about everything that I did throughout the day. A play by play if you will in my mind. As I thought of my day, I realized all the times I picked up, put down, wiped off, wiped down, cleaned off, cleaned up, stood up, sat down, climbed up and climbed through, got in and got out, packed up and unpacked, told once, twice and a third, completed and repeated task after task. The mindless things went on and on in my mind. And as I continued through my day this sort of prayer came about, "Lord, never let me forget these days so that I can be a help and blessing to someone else who is experiencing these crazy days of toddlers." I know for me that these days will be over before I know it, but I want to remember them so that I can be a blessing to others who are experiencing days of interrupted sleep, little ones with busy hands and busy bodies, dealing with the sleepy one who melts downs in public places. I don't want to forget this time so that I can give complete and total empathy and help to another who is walking this road. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to rush through this season because there are so many precious moments to experience and so much humor in it all. But there is no mistaking that it is taxing and tiring. So, if some day I see and mom or dad trying to take a bite of food while the young child is pulling at the spoon and the other hand is launching the parent's plate onto the floor. I will happily ask, "Can I hold your little one while you eat?" Hopefully a sigh of relief will wash over their face as they pass the precious person to me. And while they eat, I will have the joy of holding and caring for the baby while taking my own trip down memory lane to simply remember, so that, "I will never forget."
