Birthday Fairies

Birthday Fairies

It was time of day when magic happens.  The moon was beginning to cast her yellow glow in the evening sky and the cicadas sang the last notes of their sweet songs for the night.  The stars were beginning to wink in the navy skies.  

Avery perched on the rocking chair near her window, and gazed intently between the branches of the mighty oak tree growing in her front yard.  She hoped to see tiny lights peeking through the leaves.  Where were they?  Had they forgotten it's August?  

"Avery Grace?" Momma sang from the kitchen.  "Have you brushed your teeth?  It's time for bed honey. Daddy's on his way to read your bedtime story, so hurry and get your pj's on and get those teeth brushed!" 

Avery climbed down from the big old chair and hurried to the bathroom.  She loved Daddy’s bedtime stories.  He would tell her great tales about kings, castles, and princesses.  She loved to hear his voice go up and down, loud and soft, as he told her tales of  ‘Once Upon a Time‘.  Daddy made the books come alive and Avery imagined herself running through a forest path or up the staircase of a beautiful castle on a hill.  

She brushed her teeth and hurried to her bedroom.   Grabbing Teddy Bunny, she  dove into bed and pulled the covers high over her head.  She giggled in anticipation as she heard her daddy's footsteps.

"Avery Grace?  Where are you?" 

Daddy picked up a pillow in the corner.  

"Nope, she's not under here," he growled in a low pitched, bear-like voice. 

Walking over to the closet, he peeked inside.  

"Nope, not in here, either," Hmm, I can't find my Avery at all."

"Here I am."  Avery yelled as she threw off the covers.  "I’m ready for my story, Daddy!"

As daddy snuggled down beside her, Avery pulled Teddy Bunny close.  

"Tonight, can you tell the story about the birthday fairies, Daddy?   I’ve been looking for them but I think they’ve forgotten!"

"Okay, Avery. I’ll tell you all about the birthday fairies."

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl." 

"And her name was Avery Grace," an excited Avery shouted. " And she had big brown eyes just like me!"

"Yes," said daddy, as he continued his story. 

“Avery's momma and daddy prayed for many years and asked God to send them a little baby.  They both dreamed of a baby girl, what she might look like, and what she might be like.  God heard their prayers and, very soon, a little baby began to grow in mommy's tummy."

"That was me," Avery announced with a huge grin.

"Yes, dear one, that was you." 

Daddy spoke with the sweetest sound in his voice.  

"We started getting a room ready for our new little baby.  We painted her room..."

"Periwinkle blue," Avery added.

"Yes, the softest blue.   We bought a white crib at a little consignment store in town and we found a beautiful blue rocking chair. It fit perfectly in the corner of your room near the window.  We dreamed of how we would rock our baby girl in our arms, reading her books and telling her stories."

" And now the birthday fairies, Daddy?" 

Avery, with her brown eyes flashing, waited anxiously.

"One evening, right before you arrived, Momma was sitting in the old blue rocker watching as I put the finishing touches on the toy box I made for you."  

Daddy turned to look at Avery and smiled as he saw the joy written all over her face.  

"Your momma looked out the window and her eyes flew open wide.  "Shawn, come here," she cried.  

"As we stared out the window into the dark August night, hundreds of tiny lights flew in and out of the branches of the old oak tree."  

"Shawn, can you believe this?  How many fireflies do you see?  It seems like hundreds."

"We both watched for the longest time in awe of what we saw. The tree out front seemed to be alive with the light of the fireflies. I told your mommy I thought the tiny lights were birthday fairies and God sent them to announce the birth of our baby girl." 

Daddy turned and smiled at Avery.

"But, Daddy, I think they’ve forgotten my birthday this year.  My birthday is only five days from now.   I’ve been looking for them since dinner and I haven't seen one." 

Avery whispered with the saddest little voice.  

"Let's go to the window and look, Avery Grace.  It's later and darker outside now.  Sometimes, when there's still a little light from the sun peeking through, it's hard to see them. But when God pushes the sun to the other side of the earth and the skies turn dark, their little lights shine brighter. "

Daddy gathered Avery up in his arms and held her tightly as they both gazed out into the dark night.  

"Look. I see them.  I see the birthday fairies. They didn’t forget my birthday."

They stared for a long time, watching as the birthday fairies danced around the leaves of the tree.  Little lights twinkled on and off, on and off.   

"Daddy, they’re dancing.  They’re blinking on and off and dancing a birthday dance for me."

After a long while, Avery's daddy lifted her into bed and tucked her in tightly.  

She bowed her head and began her prayers. 

"Dear God, thank you for my family.  Thank you for my momma and my daddy.  Thank you for my friends and Teddy Bunny.  Thank you for the birthday fairies in the tree by my window.  Thank you for loving me.  I love you with all my heart.  Amen."

Before your bedtime prayers tonight, look into the dark night sky and you, too, might see birthday fairies dancing in the moonlight!

Butterflies, Melons and Memories

Butterflies, Melons, and Memories

Mother’s day…the day set aside once a year to honor the women that shape our lives.   

I was blessed with a precious momma.  She was a gift in my life for fifty-three years. Even after her passing, bits and pieces of her legacy linger on in our family members.  She had such a presence…such wisdom and love.  How thankful I am to see glimpses of her love in me.  

Recently, I was going through boxes from my parent’s home. Keepsakes they packed away became treasures for me to find after they stepped into glory.   I found every card I’d ever given them, from the cards signed with my awkward childhood scribbles to others with my deepest, heartfelt love and appreciation written as an adult. 

Daddy always made sure Mother’s Day was a big deal.  We hand prepared special meals I’m sure momma choked down with a smile.  We gave her flowers, gifts and cards.  Special cards with just the right words. Words that were “enough.” Words that conveyed love and appreciation for everything momma did to make life so special for us.  

When I became a momma, my hubby and sweet boys did the same to honor me.  Hand prepared meals and the sweetest gifts.  One year, I remember my youngest taking his allowance to a neighborhood garage sale and buying me the most beautiful “diamond” brooch and matching earrings.  I have them proudly displayed to this very day.   They also gave me precious cards.  Sometimes these were handmade also – my oldest having the talent to really blow me away with his artistic ability!  And like my daddy, I have each one neatly tucked away. Treasures for them to find years from now.  

My boys have families of their own now.  The norm has been to gather around our table on Mother’s day and honor us all…our mommas, my boy’s wives, and me.  It is such a gift to have us all together…my best gift!   But life happens and things change.  

Rewind to Mother’s Day 2005.  My sweet momma stepped into glory on February 20, 2005.  Mother’s day 2005 was going to be a hard one.   My youngest son was going through a divorce.  I knew his three year old daughter would be with her mom that day, leaving Chase to spend the day alone.  We would try, though, and make the day special for everyone.

Then I received a call from my oldest son.  They wouldn’t be coming over that day because of a prior commitment with his wife’s family. My youngest planned to play golf and get away for the day. Family time would be too painful for him on this day.

This day was getting harder by the minute. 

I grabbed my keys and headed for the door, still needing to prepare a celebration meal for my mother-in-law.  As I drove down the country road leading out of our neighborhood, my tears flowed like rain.  My heart cried out to God, as I missed my momma so very much.  I wanted to talk with her.  I wanted to hug her sweet neck.  I wanted to look into those precious eyes of hers and feel her arms around me.  I wanted to tell her about my broken heart.   I cried out to God, screaming in the sanctuary of my car -  “please give my momma the biggest hug from me and tell her how very much I love and miss her!”

All of a sudden, I could see butterflies.  Not just two or three.  It seemed like hundreds of beautiful butterflies surrounding my car.   As I drove the winding road, I was wrapped in a blanket of love, enveloped in the middle of the most beautiful sign from heaven . God’s sweet gift was His answer to my prayers.    

My spirit was renewed and my heart lifted. With such a beautiful day outside, I decided to serve our meal outdoors. Fresh flowers decorated the table for my mother-in-law.  It was a glorious day.  Thanks to the sweet gift of butterflies, I was excited about the festivities.

As we gathered hands to pray, Michael thanked God for the mommas at the table, and what they meant in our lives.  He also thanked God for the momma in heaven that we missed so much.   

Memaw really loved being the center of our attention, and deservingly so.  What a precious woman she was!  She loved the one-on-one time with us.  

As I was about to go inside to prepare our desserts, a butterfly flitted around our table.  I laughed and told Michael and Memaw about my incident on the road that morning, and how God answered my prayers.  Then the butterfly landed – ON MY PLATE!  Michael and Memaw couldn’t believe it.  We were silent, afraid to move, not wanting to disturb the butterfly.  Minutes passed and she stayed right there on my plate.  In a few minutes, I put my finger beside her.  Slowly I moved my finger closer and closer until I was touching her.  She gently lifted her body and climbed onto my finger.  Time stopped.  I couldn’t believe what was happening.  I drew her close to my face to see the details of her beautiful wings.  She stayed.  She just stayed.  The three of us sat quietly in awe of the moment.    

I reached down on my plate and lifted a tiny piece of cantaloupe to the butterfly.  I told Michael and Memaw “my momma always did love her some cantaloupe!” and I kid you not ,as sure as the sun rises, that butterfly began to eat that cantaloupe!   I promise!  We all watched in amazement, not saying a word.  Minutes passed and finally, after gracing our day with her magic and having touched my heart in such a big way, she flew away.  We all just looked at one another and then began to laugh…belly laughs.  Thankful laughs.  Grateful laughs.  

That Mother’s Day was a hard one.  It’s been 13 years and the grief still stops me in my tracks sometimes.  You never get over losing the first loves in your life.  

My momma and daddy are safely tucked away in heaven this day,   I am oh so thankful for the heaven that holds them and the God that promises me in His word that we will live forever with Him one day.  I am thankful, too for His loving embrace by the butterflies He sent to me that day in May, 2005.  Each time I see a butterfly dancing around me these days,  I am reminded of the sweetest momma in the whole wide world and the Father in heaven that loves me beyond measure.  

God sends us many signs of His never ending love for us -  to comfort us in our grief and to dance with us in our joy..... in every sunrise, every sunset, every flower that blooms, every butterfly that races to fill up a grieving heart – He’s there.  Just be watchful and ready…His gifts are there for you – just waiting for you to open them!

Remembering

My cousin sent me a precious picture today of her first grandchild.....little Ava Loretta.  In looking at the picture, memories just burst in my mind.....

When Addison was little bitty, we kept her many times because Chase and Farrah traveled for work.  I remember one time - and when i looked into those little eyes of Ava it makes me remember like it was yesterday - it was our first overnighter…..i think we had Addy for two days matter of fact.  She must have been about 3 months old…..They were giving me all the instructions on what time bottles were, how to fix them etc.  She would sometimes still wake up in the night for a bottle at 2:00 a.m. or so - they said “okay, just pick her up and get her bottle heated as quickly as you can - now don’t look at her, because if you do she will start grinning and cooing and she will wake up and you will be up for a long while…..but if you just quietly get her bottle and give it to her, she will go right back to sleep” - well, sure enough, about 2 A.M.  i hear her stirring - just a little whimper….. i remember as i walked into the kitchen, i tried my hardest not to look down…..but then i peeked…..and sure enough, the sweetest most precious smile came across her face.  Oh my goodness, that smile....i melted right there in the kitchen!  I didn’t talk to her though…..i fixed her bottle and sat down to give it to her - she took it right away and sure enough, those sweet eyes closed, her long eyelashes so dark against her cream-colored skin.  Oh my…..tears rolling down right now because i can remember it like it was yesterday!  And today, that beautiful brown-eyed girl is 15….where in the world did all those years go?

I remember too that next morning - i invited the great grandparents over to love on their first great grandchild.  I have the sweetest picture of my daddy holding her - she's dressed in yellow i believe.....my momma sitting right next to him as close as can be and she has Addison's foot, holding it up to her mouth to kiss it and she has the biggest grin you have ever seen on her precious face.  Even though dementia had taken so much of my momma away at that time, she sure knew joy and love!  And oh my goodness....that little brown-eyed girl could sure bring it!

Pictures are coming to me now....the picture of Pepaw Corley seeing her for the first time....his grin lighting up his face.  My daddy down in the floor with her, letting her crawl all over him.  I am so thankful for these memories.  Oh how i wish i could go back and be there....just for a minute...reliving those "firsts".  

Thank You Lord for the sweetest "firsts" and for all the sweetness afterwards.  I can remember Avery Grace....and that first time holding her.  Oh and her little eyes....she could grin with those eyes and still can!  I remember being told not to hold her too much....wanting her to get used to her bed and then parents coming in and finding both grandmas sneaking her out of the bed and rocking her in the night...Avery just a cooing!  I remember the first time meeting Haley and Audrey....Haley grabbing my hand at the Lakepointe Fall festival and not letting go (melted then too!).....Audrey running into the house and taking us all by storm.  What a little fire cracker at 13!  And then little Hayden Michael - holding that sweet boy for the first time....those lips....that dimple....those beautiful eyes.  And then Matthew!  Our first great grand.  Meeting that little blue-eyed boy for the first time.....they surprised us on a visit to Frisco - hiding in the kitchen - and Chase couldn't wait to show us.  My son a granddad....oh my goodness, how did the years go by so quickly? 

But i thank You Lord Jesus.....i thank You so much for these little memories that slip into my days.  Thank You for memories....thank You for family.....thank You for this life You have given me Lord.  Love beyond measure.