sacred space

one of my favorite things to do with Lauryn (and has long been) is to read to her. we both really enjoy that time together. it feels a little like a sacred time to me. in those moments when i'm doing silly voices and sharing in the (fun of the) story i feel so connected to her. she sometimes listens quietly, but more often now than before (well the last few months i would say) she's been putting in her thoughts and observations on what's going on in the pictures and with the characters. (she's feeling sad, mommy.) sometimes, if i lose sight of the experience, this gets annoying because there are endless comments being made (wait, mommy don't turn the page! look at this and that and on and on) but then when i am truly present with her i get into that with her too. i delight in her mind, her personality, and her developing sense of empathy and just who she is and who i see her becoming right before my eyes.

we had sort of let the reading before bed routine slip a little - with the chaos of having a new baby and the moving and all that - but we're getting back in to it and i am so glad. as i think about it now, it almost feels like praying. i'm not sure how. but that God-space of simply being in the moment and sharing in the dialogue of the story and my daughter is so (???) real.

sharing these moment together with her (and sometimes the wild boar called ryan), i feel like we are building treasured feeling-memories. know what i mean? you know how sometimes a phrase or vague memory brings back strong feelings of a time and place? like that.

after long days of "lauryn, that's a ONE!!" and "lauryn please put these away, please eat, please listen..." it's nice to unwind with her in such a positive way just before bed. and i've just gotten her this beautiful book of prayers for each day (not the run of the mill stuff, really beautiful prayers. the book is called "give me grace", maybe i can put in an excerpt later...) anyway, we read the prayer each night and that is just frosting on an already delectable treat. so, i will continue to read to and with my amazing three year old and revel in her enjoyment of both written word and her mother's silly theatrics.

silence | clarity | peace