Tea For Two

After the tornado of a child's party that toppled me on Saturday, Sunday brought a welcomed fresh breath of life into my worn and weary body.  On top of Mario celebrations, our baby birdie, Eva, has the nerve to go through the worst bouts of teething right now.

Awake every hour.

Up for good by 7:30.

A fury of cleaning and creating and decorating and crying and whining and cooking and more cleaning and laundry and finally bedtime and then awake every hour...

My life was on repeat, and it was time for a new tune.

So Sunday, as the leftover decor and flurries of paper and toys lay on the floor of our school room, our family of 5 opted to check out of life for a day.

First, we slept in.  This was a welcomed blessing on a Sunday morning, leaving behind a normal rush of frustration that comes with getting yourself and three children ready to be on time anywhere.

Then came breakfast.  Cereal.  Pop Tarts.  Toast.  Anything that didn't need cooking.

Next, we played and talked and laughed until we decided to take a drive. The weather was perfect, and with the windows rolled down, the scents of summer tickled our noses. We drove to the house I grew up in, deep in the country.  It was moving to see it there, just as I remembered, but somehow smaller.  It was as though it was a dollhouse version of my home.  It made me determined to create such a place for my children.

When we got home, I laid a sleepy baby down for her afternoon nap, and Daddy and Isaiah went outside to play.  I looked at my three year old daughter, wistfully watching our day end.

"Hey Izzy....would you like to have a tea party?"  I asked.

Her eyes immediately widened as she perked up.  "Yes, please!"

I pulled two dusty coffee mugs from the top of the cabinet and filled each with grape juice.  I placed a few cookies on a saucer and we sat down to enjoy one another's company.  She quickly informed me that tea party etiquette required my voice to raise about 20 octaves, and I showed her how to drink with her pinky out.  We giggled politely as we drank our "tea" and all of a sudden, her wistfulness turned into my wishfulness.  I never wanted this moment to end.  I quietly prayed and asked God to preserve this moment for me.  I knew eventually, I must return to being her mommy- the one who disciplines her when it is needed- but for this moment, over grape juice and cookies, we became very dear friends.

And that's what tea parties are made for.