Two days ago, we recognized our 9 year-olds half birthday and Christopher's half birthday (officially 3 1/2) was yesterday. We aren't a family who normally celebrates the little milestones but in fourth grade, Ellie's class celebrates half birthdays for those kids whose birthdays fall in the summer. The precedent is goodie bags and not food. I am not a gift giver by nature so I was a little perturbed last night at 7pm when I was driving the girls to WalMart in search of cheap but not worthless trinkets that she could share with her class. I am not proud of my critical heart as we returned home and I stuffed 25 bags for sharing.
Ellie delights in the little things. Her room is filled with memorabilia (I like to think of it as junk) that she has picked up from vacations, gymnastics, friends, birthday parties, kids' meals, from the beach, from a walk, our backyard. She's told me before as I have tried to separate her from all her boxes of treasurers that each piece has a memory. As she's gotten older we now have a deal that if she can't remember the memory after a year, it may be worth thinking about parting with certain pieces. I've been thinking about it all today. One of Ellie's love languages is Quality Time. I'm pretty sure one of Ellie's love languages is NOT gifts. But she does enjoy passing on small gifts to her friends so that maybe others will have fun or feel special.
What aspect of Christopher am I missing out on today? My girls surprise me daily with their wisdom or innocence or new silliness. What is Christopher's love language? Gary Chapman wrote a book, The Five Love Languages, which I highly recommend any parent add to their repertoire of reading. It is so helpful to meet our kids' needs knowing how they appreciate seeing love lived out.
Happy Half Birthday to my oldest and youngest! Mama is praying that God is continually showing himself real in your life, that you see beauty in the everyday and that hope gives you wings to rise above the days that drag you down.
Your children near and far are surely blessed by the prayers you pray for them. Thank you for the reminder of Love Languages. Love Mr. Chapman's work.
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