our theme song

I gave my love a cherry that has no stone,

I gave my love a chicken that has no bone,

I told my love a story that has no end,

I gave my love a baby with no crying

How can there be a cherry that has no stone,

How can there be a chicken that has no bone,

How can there be a story that has no end,

How can there be a baby with no crying

A cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone,

A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone,

The story that I love you, it has no end,

A baby when he's sleeping, has no crying

This is the anthem of the first 5 years of parenthood for me. If you've heard it before it's probably from when you heard it in the movie Animal House - and yet it's the lullaby that has sung my children to peaceful bliss during stressful times in the hospital, when they can't sleep or settle down, or when they just want something familiar to cuddle to. While Animal House was not where this song made its way into our lives (rather we were introduced to it when Anna was just 1 year old in Music Together class), it seems to have found a special place in the hearts of our children.

I can remember singing this song to a hysterical Anna in the Children's Hospital when she was sick and waiting to find out whether or not she had pneumonia. I remember singing it many nights when sleep wasn't easy to come for her, or for Emmett. I remember singing it to Emmett after nursing night after night, and again in the cold room in the Children's Hospital when he was held there overnight for breathing issues. And even tonight, when I asked each child individually what song they wanted before bed it was "Cherry" that they requested. This bizarre song is forever etched into my heart and it's simple melody follows me into all of the most tender moments of motherhood.

In just one week our baby will turn 3. This time of year is always bizarre for me because it marks a growth spurt for Anna and a change in age for Emmett. I look at Anna and I see a grade schooler looking back at me. She looks so different than she did just 12 months ago - even 6 months ago! I would venture to say this is the most drastic change I have witnessed to-date. Of course the change is not just in appearance but in maturity and behavior as well. The same is true of Emmett as he enters the dreaded "3's" - exerting his independence and opinions for the very first time.

The week of Emmett's birthday also marks school sign-up time - the time in which we enroll for the next year and I find myself at a bit of a crossroads thinking that next year our oldest will be in school full-time, and our baby will be in preschool.

For 5 years we have prepared for this time. We've potty trained and preschool-ed and play-dated and more. I've pulled my hair out many a day wondering how I am even going to survive until naptime....and now, on the brink of determining where Anna will attend school and for how many hours a day, and whether she will ride the bus, and will Emmett go 2 mornings or 3 mornings or a few afternoons I want to throw up a flag and say STOOOOOP!

What happened? Where did 5 years go?

As I sat in Anna's bed tonight playing with her hair and singing to her, I caught a glimpse of the beautiful woman she will become. Oh my...I literally saw her as a teenager, and as a young woman and tears fell down my cheeks. I know it will be here before I know it and I know that I will likely pull my hair out a million times before then but for tonight I soaked it all in.

Just this afternoon I found myself sitting on a chair in an indoor park not knowing what to do with myself for a few hours while both my kids ran around with some friends. You see, up until this point I have been in those play places with them...crawling around, going down slides, lifting them up to reach, encouraging and kissing boo boo's. Today, I was simply "a ride" - a way to get to the fun place and from then on I was not needed, except perhaps to tie a shoe or be an escort to the bathroom.

I'd be lying if I said that there haven't been (many) occasions where I have envied those moms sitting on the sidelines reading their books while I was cramming my adult-sized body through kid-sized tunnels and slides.

And yet, now they're here and I am not quite sure if I am ready!

But while I am not sure I am ready to let go, or ready to move on to the next phase, I am sure of a few things. I am sure that the gift of parenthood is one of God's greatest gifts. I am sure that I chose a great partner to take that journey with - I could not have chosen better. I am sure that we will have our challenges to come, but that each challenge will result in an even greater joy. And I am sure that the "Cherry" song will continue to play in the background of our lives - because it's true for our children that "the story that I love you, it has no end".