In early morning, hours before sun-up, I sit quiet in the dark. The house is completely still.
Cradling my coffee, an involuntary smile tugs at my lips while tears blur my vision.
In my minds-eye, I replay the chaos from the night before.
The blissful chaos.
It’s Sunday-Supper. And this Sunday, all of our precious children file in to spend a couple of hours together.
Laughing.
Loving.
We crowd in around the farm table, babies and all, the adults trying to carry on conversations over little girls who are getting louder and louder by the minute.
My son Timothy who has no children, looks at me smiling,
“Once babies learn to talk they never stop…they just love to hear themselves don’t they?”
We pause to listen …
One tiny girl is telling Pop Pop in her loudest voice that he has to make an her ice cream sundae for dessert, two tiny girls are having a banging contest …“more, more, more” they giggle.
Finished with dinner, another tiny person runs in circles around the table, arms flapping like wings… “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy…look!”
I burst out laughing, reach for Timothy’s hand and give it a squeeze, we share joy in the fleeting moment.
Fleeting. Moment.
Once upon a time I took those moments for granted…sometimes I still do.
Once upon a time I thought that nothing ever changes.
But in a blink my little brother was gone, taken home before we were ready to let him go.
And everything changed.
Then suddenly Mama went home.
And everything changed again.
The lesson I think, is best summed up the way my dad signs every card-every email…
Time Flies
I can’t look at a clock without thinking those two words.
And that’s what I was thinking as I put up this little heart garland …
Valentine’s Day is only a month away, why not use the next four weeks to reach out to those people you love…give them a call, make a lunch date or send them a card and tuck in one of these easy little heart buntings…
(If you have a minute, I’ll show you how easy this is…)
Here’s What You Need:
*Paper…I used gold-leaf (look) paper from Anthropologie but you can find beautiful paper at your local craft store.
*Heart hole punch (mine is 2″)
Punch out your little hearts…
Sew them together or simply tape them together on the wrong side…
Tuck your garland into a love note… or hang it up to remind you …
time flies~
Sending love my friends ~ xo
I used Paper in this edition of My Year of Reckless Crafting! (Mine was a gold leaf wrapping paper-this is as close as I could find: Copper Leaves Gift Wrap Roll 24" X 16'
Joyce @ Quilted Nest says
January 22, 2015 at 9:11 am‘simply’ (love that) the cutest thing ever. Loverly!
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:09 pmthanks bunches Joyce xoox
Felicia says
January 22, 2015 at 9:17 amLove everything about this post. The stolen quiet moments with your son. The hand squeeze. The children laughing and talking. My dad used to say that I talked to hear my head roar. Maybe I still do. 🙂 Time does fly. We need to grab it!! Have a great day Robin.
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:10 pmFelicia…I love what your dad said… made me smile 🙂 You have a great day too my friend ox
Barbara says
January 22, 2015 at 10:46 amFrom start to finish, this is one of my favorites. Thank you.
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:17 pmBarbara- thank you so much my friend…sending love xo
Ginger James says
January 22, 2015 at 11:04 amRobin, this is beautiful and so sweetly shared. Thank you for the message and the tender and loving way to make a difference in the lives of people we care about. And if you didn’t already have your own beautiful heart garland, I would send you one because you are someone I care about.
g
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:10 pmGingerRoo…awwwww, love love love you honey xo
judyincarefree says
January 22, 2015 at 11:12 amSo very sweet and coldness used for other holidays since it isn’t red or pink…love it. I’ll post my little felt heart bunting on Instagram .
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:11 pmJudy, I can’t wait to see your bunting 🙂 xoox
Eileen says
January 22, 2015 at 11:39 amYou touched my heat with this post, Robin. As I see pictures sent to me of my grandchildren doing different things throughout their day and await the spring arrival of two more, I realize the same thing, time flies. So, last week, I decided I was going to do something special for each of my children on Valentine’s Day by sending them a little something. Just to let them know that they are thought about and loved.
Have a wonderful day, dear friend! xxxooo
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:12 pmEileen, isn’t is just stunning …how fast those tiny grandchildren grow? When we don’t see them every single day, time really seems to fly ~ sending love my friend ox
Laura S says
January 22, 2015 at 12:25 pmRobin, this is probably the best post I’ve read & it touched my heart too. This is my first Valentine Day since breaking off an engagement last year & I’d planned to ignore the day but you’ve reminded me I have others who I care about and who care about me. Thank you for sharing a bit of your family with us (your readers), the beautiful pictures, and what seems to be an easy craft idea but heart felt at the same time. Three weeks away but you’ve managed to make Valentine’s Day something I can look forward to after all, you’ll never know how sweet that is. God bless you & yours
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:14 pmLaura…ohhhhh, honey- I wish I could give you a real hug!!! I pray that this Valentine’s Day you are able to give out so much love that you’re surprised by the amount that comes right back to your sweet sweet heart~ xoxo
Nancy says
January 22, 2015 at 12:41 pmI enjoyed your post today about cherishing moments of young grandchildren. I enjoyed every minute I spent with mine even when I had one on each hip with them screaming their lungs out because they didn’t want to leave Granny.(they lived in the same neighborhood. Ha.) But those times grew into sweet relationships because all of a sudden they turned into teenagers. And now one is a college grad with a job, another in college and the other two close behind.
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:16 pmNancy…I so appreciate you sharing your relationship with your grandchildren- you’ve encouraged me that your times with those tiny grandchildren grew into sweet relationships as they grew older. ..that’s exactly my prayer my friend ~ sending love –
Gigi Harlan says
January 22, 2015 at 3:10 pmYour heart garland looks beautiful with your distressed clock and window!
Robin says
January 22, 2015 at 5:16 pmGigi…thank you my friend ox
Julie Garmon says
January 22, 2015 at 5:34 pmHow do you do this??? How? How? How?
You take your heart, and besides writing a heart-post, you create using your hands, and glue, and paper and string gold together–literally.
Once again, I’m in awe…
Gina says
January 22, 2015 at 6:41 pmLove the sentiment behind this Robin!! So so true. It resonates with me today on a personal level because my brother-in-law had a massive heart attack yesterday. He survived but is still very ill. I’ve been doing a great deal of reflecting and pondering today. 🙂 Cute garland too! 😉
Robin says
January 25, 2015 at 5:21 pmGina, oh honey, I pray your brother in law heals quickly – something so catastrophic certainly makes us think doesn’t it? sending love my friend ox
Vicky says
January 23, 2015 at 2:41 pmYou’ve clearly touched so many through your poignant and insightful words. Such wisdom and love flowing through each little bit. You described it all so visually, I smiled when you smiled, and was filled with nostalgia. My oldest son was wowed with the garland- is that Gold he asked, wide eyed? Make one mom 🙂 When a 14 year old endorses you- that is pure “gold!”
You do “love” so well, friend. I feel it!
Love you so~
Deena says
January 23, 2015 at 2:43 pmPut into perspective of life very well, we sometimes forget how good we have it. Thank you for reminding me. I will buy a heart punch tomorrow. Wonderful idea. I do things all the time for my family and friends but the heart punch out is a simple reminder of love. Thanks you again. Have a great weekend.
Robin says
January 25, 2015 at 5:19 pmDeena, thank you for stopping in my friend xo