Hokey Pokey Moments

No one said parenting would be easy.  Making your way throught the days sleep deprived, up to your elbows in diapers, laundry piles, work demands, kids tugging at your pantleg. You feel like you're getting pulled in a million different directions. Just as you're at wits end suddenly your child says or do something that instantly realigns you. 

I like to call them Hokey Pokey moments. 

Moments in parenting  that make you stop and say. "That's what it's all about."

You know? Those moments that give you the chills, make you laugh out loud,  or make your heart swell. 

Here are a few examples:

My friend Molly recently shared that she just got goosebumps watching "The Wizard of Oz" with her 3 year old daughter Sara, for the first time. Dorothy opened the door to Munchkinland and the screen magically changed from black and white to color. She heard her daughter gasp, then whisper, "Oh, I like this place..."   

Another friend Kris, told me she was busy in the kitchen and noticed it was unusually quiet in the house. Uh oh. Quiet often equals trouble. She raced around from room to room to see what mischief they were up to. Finally she flung open a bedroom door only to find her daughter sitting there with her little brother on her lap reading him a story.

Co-blogger May recently shared this about her daughter, Zoe getting ready for school. Every night, Zoe picks her outfit for kindergarten, lays it out on the bench in the hallway. Smooths out the creases. A pink t-shirt on top of a little purple bubble skirt. Or a blue babydoll dress with brown leggings. She smiles a little smile. It makes my heart ache with pride.

Last week we were all walking across the parking lot at the mall late afternoon. I saw our long shadows cast out in front of us on the concrete. Just the sight of the silhouette of all four of us holding hands made me stop in my tracks. I glanced over at Peter and smiled "Look at us! We're a family." 

I often have to remind myself that these Hokey Pokey moments happen daily. Hourly.  I just  need to stop and pay attention. The kids have a way of reminding  me what really matters.

That's what it's all about...

Please share some of your Hokey Pokey moments with us.