I’m fascinated with how large my kids feet have gotten.
For each one of them right now, it seems as if their feet are just a bit too big for their bodies. I guess it’s a prediction of how they are about to stretch up a few more inches. Soon enough, they’ll be taller than me.
I watched them each sit on their feet as we worked through their homework earlier today. Two had to fill out an “about me” page and one had to learn all about the origins of his name. As I worked through each page with them, I was struck at how different they each approached the work. One checking each response with me first, one diving right in before we could chat about it, and one demanding I give him adequate time to think.
They are each so incredibly different… except for physically that is. Two are identical down to their height and weight and that one chipped tooth… and the third, well he matches them pretty darn close. And their feet – oh man – I just couldn’t get enough of all three sets of them looking just the same, cuddled up under them as they worked.
Truth be told, I’m not a fan of working on homework. It’s not always my finest hour with my boys. It’s a practice in the virtue of patience that I so desperately lack. But despite the ups and downs of it, I know I’ll remember and treasure some moments – like those big feet resting beneath those lanky, growing legs.
And I’ll treasure this photo when their feet have grown big enough to walk them to their rooms to do their work all by themselves.
As we start this Monday morning, there probably will be many tests of our patience. Some little, some big. So my prayer for all of us today is that we find something in each moment to hold onto, something to focus our gratitude on, some small thing to cherish. May we capture it and hold it tight and let it remind us of the beauty even the most challenging moments can hold.
