Tuesday, November 15, 2011

How We Do It: Part VI in a series

For some reason, blessed and welcome, the darker the edge and closer the chaos, the more we draw in, together. Last night, I lay on my bed with Sophie next to me, her legs stretched out under the blanket, her head on my shoulder. The boys were wilding up and down the hall and while I was tempted to do my usual yelling at them to stop and chill out, take it down a level, please STOP!, I refrained and they eventually made their way into the room, tumbling and falling (why doesn't it hurt?). Henry put on my black clogs, looked ridiculous in his boxer shorts and braces, a giant goofball, the dog ambled in and around, taking it in stride, and Oliver rolled on the floor and laughed when his brother kicked up the clogs and danced. I grabbed my phone and filmed the spectacle and we all collapsed laughing. Sophie smiled her secret smile, tendrils on her cheeks, wisps of recognition, the center of life as we know it.



18 comments:

  1. I love the open-heartedness of these posts. A slice of your life, a slice of your heart.

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  2. Pretty home, pretty dog!! Boys just slay me...we had a similar scene over here last night with my son and his best friend. Total goofballs.

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  3. THIS is the sort of moment, the web, that holds everything together when everything feels like it will fall apart. Noan sent me a poem a few days ago that I keep returning to with this line (thank you Noan): "we can make do with so little, just
    the hint
    of warmth, the slanted light".
    Thanks for sharing your slanted light with the rest of us.

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  4. Beautiful. I love that you can stop your mind and breathe deep in the middle of the chaos and recognize this moment for what it is. Such joy and odd calm in the middle of it all. Isn't that what life is all about? Thanks for this reminder to slow down and breathe and appreciate these moments before they're behind us.

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  5. I so like thinking of Sophie all cozy with this happy life around her...

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  6. Boy's got a great sense of rhythm. Plus- adorable.

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  7. That was hilarious! Maybe he should go into Irish dancing and join Riverdance. Still giggling here. :-)

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  8. It's moments like these that make life worth living, to me, at least, Elizabeth. A bright light of love and warmth in what might otherwise seem tough and unrelenting. And you at the centre holding it altogether.

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  9. I love those boys and their sense of fun!

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  10. this is the good stuff. the stuff that gets us through a life lived on the dark edge of chaos. made me smile BIG. and valentine - i LOVE her face. ( i know oliver wanted us to notice her, too :)

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  11. You definitely have to save that for his wedding.

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  12. Loved hearing a snippet of your voice!
    Such a perfect moment. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  13. Riverdance!

    I love what A sai about Sophie with this lively loving family around her. i think about that a lot.

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  14. thank goodness for goofy boys. i too have two :)

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  15. That is some fancy clogging right there... He's gonna love it when you show his girlfriend someday.

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  16. I love that when we let them, the authentic moments of life come and do exactly what we need them to do.

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  17. Wilding up and down the hall .... And wisps of recognition .... It was all worth it to not be able to put the early kibosh on the antics ....

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