Ah Choo Moo Moo

Since we were all ready for school on time this morning, we gathered our things so we could walk. As we only live about a third of a mile from the school, it makes for a nice walk in the mornings and afternoons; not too long, but long enough to get some extra steps for the day. When we are running behind in the mornings, if it’s bitter cold, or raining, then I will drive and drop them off. If we go too early, we end up sitting in line and it takes longer than if we would have walked.

This morning we were in the window of time where we could walk, so we had backpacks on, Lincoln ready to climb in the stroller, when we looked to the pavement to see dark polka dots.

“It’s raining!” Gavin announced. Not feeling like getting everyone wet or fighting to balance the umbrella and push a stroller, I told them we could just drive. We still had ten minutes or so before I would have left if I had planned on driving. (I usually shoot for the Goldilocks zone; the time when you can drive right through the drop-off line without waiting. Go too early and you’ll sit. Go too late and you hit the rush of late people.)

“Mom, can we just go now?” Zachary asked.

I glanced at the clock, “Sure, let’s just go.” I knew I would either have them running through the house for ten minutes or have them restrained with seat belts, so I chose the latter.

As I buckled Lincoln, he was singing as usual.

“Ah choo, ah choo, ah choo, ah choo…”

This time it was Song of the Cebu from Silly Songs with Larry, Veggie Tales.

“What’s he singing?” Zachary laughed.

“Don’t you know that one?” I questioned, wondering if I was really raising him right.

So I pulled up the song to play for them as we drove the three tenths of a mile to school. As I suspected, there was a line when we pulled up to drop-off. Instead of being impatient, I took it upon myself to sing with Larry, and let the boys echo the refrain back to me. As we sat, I glanced back at them. My three boys, all smiling and singing, “Ce-buuuuuuuuu!”

And there, in the school drop-off line, was a surreal moment. One that transcended time and took me back to being a teenager and belting this silly song with my best friend, but yet still connected me to the present and my shiny-faced sons.

All in about a second I thought….

“How do I have three children already and how are they so big? Are they really mine?”

“Are they seriously singing this silly song with me, the same one I sang at sixteen?”

“Are they enjoying this as much as I am?”

“This. This is joy.”

I will say, most of the time our mornings are not joyful. We usually are scrambling for shoes, I’m yelling up the stairs for someone to put pants on, and someone has certainly hit the other or is being annoying. But today, just for a moment, we smiled together. And that’s what this mama strives for everyday. Sometimes I happen to forget. In the midst of homework, and messes, and arguments, I let it all pile up and can no longer see.

Today, I saw it perfectly.

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 NLT

(And if you don’t know this song, I strongly recommend you look it up and sing it yourself) 🙂