family

Having someone love you unconditionally – having someone know the worst about you and still say “I love you” and knowing that they do and that they accept you and think you’re amazing – that is the best thing in the world.

Or at least right up there. ;p

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I spent the evening last night with a young couple; the husband is a long time family friend – his father was my father’s best friend…they’ve been married over a decade and have two delightful, BEAUTIFUL little boys – age four and almost a year and a half, and I was able to hang out with them, watching the kids play and pitter-patter about in the back yard, and then I had dinner with them as a family. I was technically there on “business” but a lot of time was spent catching up and quite frankly…just enjoying them as a family.

While the husband was putting his son to bed in their bedtime ritual, which included stories, singing and prayers, the wife and I were chatting at the dinner table, over a homemade brownie with mint chocolate chip ice cream and some coffee (ecstasy!) when I noticed a vase filled with beautiful, purple tulips. “Those are gorgeous” I said with a smile and she said, smiling, “Yeah, while I was gone last week with the kids visiting my sister (in another state), G. got them and had them on the table when I came home. Purple is my favorite color.” And as I was smiling in response, she said, a bit quietly, “That G. – you know him – ever so thoughtful.” And I just…melted. To see this young couple and their love for each other – after eleven years of marriage and two young sons who take a lot of energy – to see the family interact and the love between the spouses and for their kids…it was just such a beautiful picture and thing to be a part of. The husband had come home from a stressful, long day at work and rush hour traffic and just jumped right into loving his boys and serving his wife while she made dinner – getting things for her, setting the table, etc…they were such a team…and after dinner, he took care of all the dishes while she visited with me and he gave her a break because she had been with the kids all day – letting her just relax and catch up with me. It was just…so…beautiful. Not all men are so selfless. And I wonder if I would be if I had worked all day…and was tired…would I respond in the same way immediately upon coming in the door? Greeting a guest, helping my spouse, scooping the kids up in my arms and playing with them?

Part of the reason why I stayed so late was because I was enjoying myself so much – this family loves Jesus, and just talking about our various walks with Jesus and their journey with Him, personally and as a couple – the conversation never stopped… there’s something just incredibly beautiful about a family following Him.

Anyway, I was blessed and delighted to get to know their little boys better – kids grow soooooooo quickly. They are incredible – just dolls. So smart and beautiful and curious and energetic. Loving and obedient. And the four year old is a boy after my own heart – a philosopher in the making! Over dinner, all of a sudden, and out of nowhere, we were having a conversation about death and matters of eternity and burial and sickness and illness and heaven. I was taken aback at how his little mind worked and how thoughtful he was and how he was asking the really deep questions. His parents said he keeps them on their toes. It was delightful. =)

Plus, it was amusing watching the little guy trying to get my attention – putting lettuce leaves in his hair and grinning at me to see if I’d notice until his parents caught on and told him that wasn’t polite behavior. And trying to negotiate with his parents to see how much of his dinner he had to eat in order to have dessert. He also “did” the dishes to help his daddy – but we found out later that was in part because G. told him after the kitchen was cleaned up, we could have dessert, so G. sits down, after making coffee for all of us and there is the little four year old on a step stool at the kitchen sink, happy as a clam washing pots and pans and dishes, singing to himself. Haha. It was so precious.

Anyway, my visit with them may have made my week. And it made me want to have babies. ;p

[Disclaimer: No, I’m not a baby-crazed woman. *grin* I’ve helped raise six younger siblings… ;) It’s just rare that after hanging out for four hours with two little boys, who are tired and are “crabby”, you walk away thinking “Wow, that is an amazing family” and find yourself wanting children if that’s what having a family looks like – that’s fabulous – a testament to those parents. Wish every parent could raise their kids as such – the other week, I was grocery shopping, and in the span of five minutes, saw two different boys from different families look around to see if anyone was watching and proceeded to steal candy. And when I was working in a coffee shop, the kids who would throw temper tantrums or try to steal things or would be catered to by their parents because of their poor behavior – just…saddened me and made me mad for their sake – that their parents didn’t love them enough to discipline them, setting them up for struggles later in life. ]