Brett and I have tackled major household chores this week. No fun at all but seriously needed. Containers were opened, contents were taken out, garbage cans were filled, and more room was created.
The kids began to worry. "Momma ... where are you putting all the stuff?" and "Oh Momma ... you are getting rid of my clothes."
Had to be done. No way around it. Spring cleaning sprung!
Brett reorganized the basement. I tore apart and pieced together the kids' closets and our bedroom. Together we dug through boxes (mostly work) stored in the butlers pantry.
Floors were mopped, rooms were vacumed, and chipped paint (we have a paint chipping problem) was chipped all the way off. Bit by bit I began feeling like I could breathe again.
Through this I realized how far we have come since my children were born devastatingly premature. There was once a time when we did not laugh about any of it. Everything was taken so seriously. Our skin (especially mine) was sooooo thin.
Brett found the urn that once held Alex's ashes. He sat him on the dining table and walked away. I stopped in front of it and stared at Brett. He smiled and shrugged, "I found Alex."
It may sound morbid. There truth is .... Alex is as much a part of our family ... Through our love for him. Even the children speak about him in a conversational way. For us we integrated our loss into our life. We are able to laugh.
Benjamin was "hiding" in a see through container. It was empty. He thought if he put the top on top no one would see him.
Callie walked passed. "I see you Ben. Momma said stay out of her box."
Laughing, Ben scampered away.
I turned to Brett. "Sweetie, did you see that. Our legally blind little boy thought we could not see him in a clear, plastic container."
We laughed. Not in a cruel way. Once upon a time we never would have laughed at *anything* about Ben's eyes. No way. No how. It would not have happened. Together we have embraced the truth that while Ben is legally blind ... it does not change who he is ... a delightful little boy filled with giggles.
All in all it was another way of clearing the cobwebs of our quadruplets devastatingly early start. We laugh a lot together as a family. After all ... I believe it is our sense of humor that brought us to today. Laughter is a gift.
Please check out my fundraising walk page at: http://www.marchforbabies.org/4middletonkidlets
3 comments:
Hi Melissa,
I'm glad to have found your blog. I've really enjoyed seeing your kids pictures, and feeling a part of your online family.
I've started doing some spring cleaning too. It's a chore, but what a great feeling it brings afterward. Good luck with your cleaning endeavors.
Thanks for sharing your family.
Julie
M - I adore you. Raising three kids - one of whom is severely visually imapired - I look up to you. You are "ahead" of me in this journey - so your posts and stories bring me hope and promise.
I agree - you know what? Laughter is the best medicine? :)
Take care,
Kara
What a beautiful post. I feel that if we didn't embrace what our children bring us - all our children, with whatever they may bring - we would drive ourselves crazy.
You are a beautiful writer.
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