The Period Party

Now for the disclaimer: The images you are about to view are extremely graphic. Parental supervision is advised. Oh yeah, and if you are of the male persuasion…I’m really, really sorry about this!

As promised (and this is a really good idea for all you moms out there with girls on the “verge”), today I would like to share the joys of a Period Party. We had so much fun and, more importantly, we created precious memories that will last my Devaney a lifetime.

We gathered at Grandma’s house (my mama) on Sunday evening, in honor of Dev’s first visit from “Aunt Flo” (you know, that mean old thang that comes a callin’ about every twenty-eight days?). Anyway, we came together to share our own memories of our first periods with Dev, fellowship, bring her gifts, and consume the ever important junk food that generally accompanies that time of month – pizza, potato skins, desert bars, and brownies, mmmmm…chocolate. Aunt April brought some fried pot stickers, which I believe were the life of the party, and Aunt Shade supplied the necessary proteins in the form of spicy deviled eggs, yum!

We toasted once again, with sparkling apple cider in celebratory glasses, as we officially welcomed my Baby
Girl to The Sisterhood. It’s a club she won’t always be happy she’s a part of, but it’s definitely something she’s been anticipating, oh-so-eagerly, for about a year now. Well Mamacita, bienvenido!

Since Daddies, or any men for that matter, weren’t invited (poor Grandpa got booted from his own pad and went to see Harry Potter by himself – Don’t worry, he likes that stuff!), Tony took his Mamacita out for a “Daddy Date” the next day. Dev and her daddy went shopping, out to lunch, and then to Branches Christian Supply Store where they picked up a Purity necklace for her beautiful neck. Awwww, we love you Daddy!

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Dedicating A’Darius

Such a busy day today…busy but blessed.  I found it hard to decide just which of today’s events I should write about. As I contemplated this, I realized just how much blogging material I really have. I mean, I will never –  could never – run out of things to share with you all. My children are all healthy and busy, my husband loves the he*# out of me (at least that’s what he says), and my days are generally jam packed with the hustle and bustle of a happily chaotic bunch of generally happy big and little people…whew, that’s a lot of words!

OK, I opted to spend the rest of the week’s posts sharing about the dirt and bubble baths taken by D’Lo today, the bike accident that claimed the skin off the hands of my clumsy, little Dee Dee Girl, and saving the best for last, my Devaney’s Period party that took place at grandma’s house tonight. Instead, what I am going to spill forth from my mushy and emotionally overactive heart is the joy I felt, watching my newborn son being dedicated to his Creator during church today.

As a parent, it is truly humbling to acknowledge that your children are not given to you by God, rather they are loaned to you by the One who actually created them. Yes, I laid with my husband and enjoyed one of the privileges of being a wife the night that he was made but, in all actuality, it was not us who made him. Yes, I worked very hard for nine long months as he grew inside of my womb but, in all actuality, it was not me who grew him. Yes, I labored with all my might during a very painful delivery but, in all actuality, it was not me who delivered him. He was brought to us, a temporary gift, for a reason…and today we stood in front of our church and family, and we made a promise.

Yes, it is a very powerful and emotional thing to admit a true understanding of these things. To see our precious new baby, on the day of his dedication, in the arms of our pastor, and ultimately, in the hands of our Father (his Father) in Heaven…

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A Sparrow’s Heart: “The Gardener And His Rose”

For Olivia Shade, who I am so proud of…I love you.

 

         Such a tiny flower, barely even a bud remained there. 

 So damaged by the elements, the storm had taken its toll.

Now, all that was left of this fragile life

were the thorns running up and down a withering stem.

 

  

Then came the Gardener, and He saw the potential of the blossom.

He lifted the bud out of its rocky soil and, gently supporting the weakened roots,

He transplanted something so small and weary

into a chosen place in His garden.

 

  

In all of His wisdom, The Greatest Gardener of all

saw past what was of this frail plant,

into what the rose would become.

 

  

Here, in this place, the little bud reached strongly for the light.

Her once weakened roots were now being supported

by the roots of the others that had been previously transplanted

to this same place by The Gardener.

 

  

The storms that once ravaged the little bud,

silenced and became a nourishing sprinkle.

The winds that used to blow,

quieted to a gentle breeze.

The sun continually kissed the face of the changing flower.

 

  

The Gardener watched, and smiled upon the plant as He guided her steady bloom.

His grand design was now becoming evident,

as all who passed through this part of His garden stopped to take notice.

This once tiny flower, barely even a bud,

had begun her majestic blossom into

His most beautiful rose…

 

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To Womanhood

A monumental moment in the Sparrow household, as we raised our glasses last night…”A toast, to womanhood – may it be as painless as possible, and may you grow into a beautiful woman, both inside and out.”  So, the words weren’t beautifully poetic…the moment was.

My lovely Devaney had greeted me, so eagerly, at the front door just a few hours before. I had been on a walk (first time with the double stroller) and an amazing thing had happened while I was away. As she led me to the bathroom, talking a mile a minute about what she thought was happening, my own heart began to race excitedly as this moment truly began to dawn on me. She wondered if this was, in fact, what she thought it was and as she and I stood there, examining the “evidence”, I knew at once that the bittersweet moment had arrived.

“Oh Mamacita!” as I wrapped both arms around my precious daughter. “Congratulations Baby, I love you so much.” I could barely mutter as the tears began to well up. “Are you crying Mama?” she asked. “Mmm Hmmm” was my reply. The tears of joy were a natural follow up to the waves of emotion that had just washed over me like a flash flood and, as I held her tightly in my arms, I knew it was an even bigger event for her.

I remember my own mother standing in the bathroom doorway, reacting to me in just the same way, the morning I started my first period. She put on such a display, for my benefit and the benefit of my memories, jumping up and down, clapping and cheering in a tone that is exclusive to my mama alone. It is a vivid and happy memory for me, and now with just a moment’s notice, my precious daughter’s future memories depended on my reaction now.

We grabbed the phone and, giddy with excitement, began to call the important women on our lives. Grandma first…Aunt Shade, Aunt Debbie, Aunt Nickie, Aunt T, Aunt Darla, Aunt April, Aunt Pami…how blessed are we? We quickly planned her “Period Party” which will simply be her time to sit, eat, and fellowship with the other women in the family.

Daddy came in, aware of the situation at hand (and after the initial shock and fear disappeared from his face) and gave his baby girl a gentle hug, congratulating her. “Thank you Daddy” she happily responded after shooting me a look, from over his shoulder, for spilling the beans. Aunt Shade soon showed up with roses, chocolate (how fitting), and sparkling apple cider. The same cider that we poured into fancy glasses and raised in a toast to my Devaney, my beautiful Mamacita, my not-so-little girl. Her pig tails have now officially been replaced with maxi pads…

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A Sparrow’s Heart: “Big Baby Brother, Little Baby Brother”

 

Big Baby Brother and Little Baby Brother

Together in the Hall of Souls, separated for a time, reunited here by the birth of the younger.

It is said that only the Sparrow can see the soul’s descent from The Guf… into the flesh.

The Sparrow…how ironic.

Big Baby Brother and Little Baby Brother

They waited such a while to complete the coming together of the Sparrows.

Here…Now…Finally…Together

In the flesh…to hold hands, to hold each other up, to hold together…a family.

Only to return someday to the Heaven from where they came,

To be together there

But for now…just precious, sleeping, baby hands

locked together in the comfort of the familiar…

Big Baby Brother and Little Baby Brother.

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