Monday, March 2, 2009

Living Among the Animals


I can't go into any room of my house without seeing wild animals.  

No, I'm not talking about my kids (hee hee), but rather a menagerie of the stuffed sort, lying here and there and everywhere.  I have to admit that it sometimes drives me crazy!!!  Every morning after breakfast, I walk back into my bedroom to get ready for the day, and there on my bed are piles and piles of stuffed animals.  They are hiding in tents (made by the kids with blankets and pillows) or peering out from under the covers.  

Then after (and during) lunch, I find these animals on the table, each with its own bowl of plastic food.  In the afternoon, many of the animals are brought to the vet's office (aka our living room) for a routine checkup or maybe a minor surgery.  Then before bedtime, the animals are swept away, back in their proper places for the night.  

But there are always lingerers.  
A puppy on the edge of my bathtub.  
A tiger underneath the end table.  
A flamingo that has been left on the window sill.  

Sometimes I grumble silently when I see these animals that were, for whatever reason, left behind.  I guess I figure that if they are putting all the others away, why leave just a few here and there?  But then yesterday, as I was staring at a pig sitting on the back of the chair, I realized something.  I realized that there will come a day when my floors will be free of stuffed animals.  Someday my living room might just be a plain old living room instead of doubling as a veterinarian's office.  And I have a feeling that when that day comes, I will surely miss my little animal friends, not to mention the whirlwind days of my kids being little.  Time passes so quickly it seems, and I know that each moment that passes is one moment closer to that day.  

So, I guess the next time I see these random critters making themselves at home in my "space", I'll simply pick it up...and smile (I'm going to be doing a lot of smiling).  :)

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

This made me smile! Very heart-warming. You will wake up one morning and ask yourself where did the time go. Sweet memories. Just take pictures of all the things that warms your heart with your kids. Love you babe!!

Anonymous said...

I have good news! After a few years of enjoying the "clean house" syndrum, there will be more little ones bringing animals back to your house and you will again find them under the table, the couch, and yes, perching on top of the pillow on your bed. And it is just as much fun the second time around. They are all so precious, the children I mean. It would be okay if the animals went back home but they seem to like to spend the week! But that's okay. They remind me of Carter, Anna, Bailey and Dani and the fun we have when they are here.

We love and miss you and your family at Pleasant View but I know God is using you where you are.

Anonymous said...

I LOVED THIS BLOG. IT TAKES ME BACK TO THE DAYS, LIKE YOU, WHEN I WONDERED, HOW COULD ONE CHILD MESS THE WHOLE HOUSE UP IN SUCH A SHORT TIME? BUT I DO MISS THAT AND AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT I HAVE LITTLE ONES(IF GOD WILLS) MESSING IT UP AGAIN!!!! I TOO MISS YOU AMY AND YOUR FAMILY AT CHURCH, BUT I KNOW GOD IS USING YOU AND I;M SOOOOO PROUD OF YOU. HOPE JASON IS FEELING BETTER. LOVE YOU, KATHY E

ashley brumley said...

how is jason? this is so cute mom says she misses the days when i would do little kid stuff and she misses when i was a baby small enough to lay on her belly. and she misses walking me to and from school and eveything like that. amy we all know God is using you. i hope jason gets to feeling better soon. well i got to go
ashley