A Growing Sprout

I have an assortment of gift bags that were once filled with baby shower presents. When you receive an item in such a bag, you are really receiving two gifts! Obviously, gift bags can easily be re-used when you have a gift to give. However, they can also be used for other things as well. For example, I have a large blue gift bag that is adorned with flowers, bugs, and polka-dots. I keep it open in my closet. Whenever Sprout outgrows an outfit, I clean it, fold it, and place it in that bag. Inside that bag there are the teddy-bear pajamas that Sprout wore for his newborn picture. You will also find the striped onesie that Sprout peed through while his daddy was holding him. A little guitar outfit currently tops the pile -- that is the first outfit that we ever purchased for our baby ... we used it to tell Richard and Debbie that they were going to be grandparents. My ever expanding collection of outgrown clothes is more like an anthology of memories.

When I hold my little guy in my arms, I often imagine what our upcoming days will be like. I try to picture what his little smile will look like when his two bottom teeth come in. I can see myself feeding homemade baby food and I laugh to myself when the image of his food-covered happy face comes to my mind. I often wonder what I will be doing when I hear my little man calls me "mama" for the first time. I bet I will wonder if I really heard "mama" for a second ... and then I will scoop that little guy up and give him a million kisses while I call Andrew to tell him every detail. I can see Sprout run to the door when he hears Andrew's car pull into our driveway and he will yell "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" like I used to when his hero enters our house. What amazing times are in store for us!

As I simultaneously miss memories and anticipate the future, I am careful not to overlook the present. What a little blessing this very moment is. Thank you, God, for right now! Thank you for a baby sleeping contently in blue-striped pajamas. I love this time so very much.