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Friday
Jun042010
Blessings and Races
June 4, 2010
Kid A is fine after being bitten on the face by a dachshund, completely fine. The only way that he seems to be reacting is with a sudden wish to see into the future. Like, if he could have seen the future, he would have known not to go to San Francisco that day. ("But then it wouldn't have been the future," said Chinua, prompting furrowed brows on all of the kids' faces.)
Trust me, if I had been feeling anywhere close to the way he LOOKS, I would have been complaining a whole lot. The whole left side of his top lip droops over the bottom lip. He looks like he has half of a duck lip. He has to tilt his head waaaaaay back, just to put food in, otherwise it just falls out of his mouth. Sometimes he can't be bothered, and he gets careless, like today when he was eating cereal and milk was dribbling out of his mouth, all around his chin, and he was too sleepy to care.
But really, the only time he seems to think about his injury is when I pull him aside and gritch about when am I going to get my little boy's face back?
He couldn't joke about it at first. But tonight while we were getting ready for bed, we were discussing the races that Chinua was setting for them, right before the dog bite. He was telling the kids, "two times around the park, on one foot," or something like that. Leafy always trailed in last, proudly. Kid A said, "We were just getting too tired of races, and we couldn't think of anything," and then I got silly and I said, "But last was the 'Let's see who can get bitten by a dog first' race." And Kid A smiled at the ceiling.
"And I won," he said, laughing.
"Well, I'm going to win next time," I said. And all the kids sat up and put out their hands to stop me. They were laughing too, but kinda serious, at the same time.
"You can't ever, Mama!" YaYa said.
"Everyone wants to lose at that race," Kid A informed me.
"Yeah," Leafy said. "Nobody ever wants to win."
*
It was a long night tonight, putting the kids to bed. It's never been my favorite part. My Superstar Husband really hurt his back recently, and so I've been covering the part of the day when I'm not at the top of my game. I've been trying to slow it down, not rush it. Not dive into a bag of chocolates and a book, only to be interrupted by bathroom checkers and water demands.
On Friday we had this beautiful Shabbat dinner with the Jewish friends that we are staying with. My favorite part of the Shabbat night is the time when the fathers bless their children. It's a beautiful thing, to see the dads putting their hands on their childrens' heads and giving them words of blessing.
I'm trying to bring words of blessing into bedtime. "God, bless my boy with love and peace. Bless my daughter with courage. Show her that you made her because you wanted a friend just like her..." And it's working. I think that it may have been the best part of my day today.
Trust me, if I had been feeling anywhere close to the way he LOOKS, I would have been complaining a whole lot. The whole left side of his top lip droops over the bottom lip. He looks like he has half of a duck lip. He has to tilt his head waaaaaay back, just to put food in, otherwise it just falls out of his mouth. Sometimes he can't be bothered, and he gets careless, like today when he was eating cereal and milk was dribbling out of his mouth, all around his chin, and he was too sleepy to care.
But really, the only time he seems to think about his injury is when I pull him aside and gritch about when am I going to get my little boy's face back?
He couldn't joke about it at first. But tonight while we were getting ready for bed, we were discussing the races that Chinua was setting for them, right before the dog bite. He was telling the kids, "two times around the park, on one foot," or something like that. Leafy always trailed in last, proudly. Kid A said, "We were just getting too tired of races, and we couldn't think of anything," and then I got silly and I said, "But last was the 'Let's see who can get bitten by a dog first' race." And Kid A smiled at the ceiling.
"And I won," he said, laughing.
"Well, I'm going to win next time," I said. And all the kids sat up and put out their hands to stop me. They were laughing too, but kinda serious, at the same time.
"You can't ever, Mama!" YaYa said.
"Everyone wants to lose at that race," Kid A informed me.
"Yeah," Leafy said. "Nobody ever wants to win."
*
It was a long night tonight, putting the kids to bed. It's never been my favorite part. My Superstar Husband really hurt his back recently, and so I've been covering the part of the day when I'm not at the top of my game. I've been trying to slow it down, not rush it. Not dive into a bag of chocolates and a book, only to be interrupted by bathroom checkers and water demands.
On Friday we had this beautiful Shabbat dinner with the Jewish friends that we are staying with. My favorite part of the Shabbat night is the time when the fathers bless their children. It's a beautiful thing, to see the dads putting their hands on their childrens' heads and giving them words of blessing.
I'm trying to bring words of blessing into bedtime. "God, bless my boy with love and peace. Bless my daughter with courage. Show her that you made her because you wanted a friend just like her..." And it's working. I think that it may have been the best part of my day today.
in Kid A, Spirituality
Kid A, Spirituality 
Reader Comments (12)
God, bless Kid A with healing for his handsome face. Bless the hippy daddy and his back so that little children can climb on it again soon. Bless the beautiful strong mama with deep peace and an ocean of your love in her heart today.
it's hard to be strong when things get rough and pile up, but you're doing a great job...not without God's boundless grace i'm sure. you're not alone. we love you.
Thanks for sharing that bit about the Shabbat Father Blessings turned to Before Chocolate Mother blessings. It encouraged me deeply. I'm headed into nearly a month of daddy-less nights and it has me fearful and tired already. Just came away from asking for some refreshing ways to change my outlook and this may be one part of that.
.-= Christine´s last blog ..http://homemadeinchina.blogspot.com/2010/06/things-are-busy.html" rel="nofollow">Things Are Busy =-.
we don't know each other personally, really only from myspace/facebook/prodigal project (online profiles). but i wanted to thankyou for sharing your heart. it is always encouraging to read about what's going on with you as a mother, a wife, a woman. some years ago i was planning on coming to work with p.p. on the land and then at the last moment the maker changed my plans and the journey of becoming a wife and mother unfolded. just wanted you to know that i appreciate your writting and your view of the world. ~Heather in Alaska~
Love it - love the blessing your children at bedtime and Shabbat. You're doing well!
Oh, thank the lord he is well.
Re bedtimes: I am always telling myself that the path to liberation in motherhood is to engage more deeply, rather than trying to disengage as much and as quickly as possible. Sometimes I even listen to myself.
.-= MoroccoMama´s last blog ..http://moroccomama.wordpress.com/2010/06/04/scarlet-drops-of-blood/" rel="nofollow">Scarlet drops of blood… =-.
Isn't it so hard for a mother to look at his own chidl hurt. Hope KidA heals quickly and brings back his lovely smile for us.
I really like that idea of adding the blessings at bedtime. Glad your son is doing well--that's a scary injury!
.-= green girl in Wisconsin´s last blog ..http://melissawestemeier.blogspot.com/2010/06/unladylike-pursuits.html" rel="nofollow">unladylike pursuits =-.
Beautiful as always... Sending healing thoughts and blessings to Kid A - and his siblings and Mama and Papa - everyone suffers during these times - don't they?
Bedtime was always a blessing and a curse for me - I treasure those memories now though - I always blessed my boys at bedtime - a wonderful ritual to have!
.-= lagata´s last blog ..http://lagata-adayinthelife.blogspot.com/2010/06/wordless-wednesday.html" rel="nofollow">Wordless Wednesday =-.
That visual of the fathers putting their hands on their children's heads and speaking a blessing to them, will stay with me for a long time.
I used to have such a lovehate relationship with bedtime. Now they're older and I don't go to their rooms to tuck them in and i miss it. Time to begin new, older children, rituals I think. Maybe those blessings?
x
I hope KidA is healing well.
.-= Suse´s last blog ..http://peasoupoftheday.blogspot.com/2010/06/sevencircle.html" rel="nofollow">sev[en]circle =-.
I wish I could share a Shabbat with you all there together! I love that house, especially all the people in it.
Speaking words of blessing at bedtime...your written prayers here touched me with chills...so tender and loving. I hope to see my prayers work, too!
thank you. thank you for reminding me that when my children are hurting whether it's physical, spiritual or emotional pain, and i feel helpless there is always something more i can do. thank you for reminding me that when it's time for bed and i think they should be grown enough to take care of their business that spending those few minutes telling me about their day and asking for "just a few more minutes" isn't about keeping me from my business but bringing me back to what's important.
thank you.