where waves grow sweet

He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” Mark 10:14

One: A mystery solved

I am a messy toothbrusher. This is not new. I have to stay close to the sink to catch the toothpaste I can’t seem to keep in my mouth. Yet, still, I was finding little white trails down my bathrobe… the sleeve, the front, the belt part. Really? I’ve been brushing my teeth for years now. You’d think I’d have it down. I started paying attention and noticed something. I start my sonicare, get things going, and then close my eyes. Yes, I close my eyes while brushing my teeth as if it were a slow dance or a kiss. Anyone else find this a little strange?

Two: A complaint

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’re probably familiar with my eharmony experience from the summer. I was decidedly one of the worst internet daters ever, and was giddy to wrap up that membership and move on. Freedom! (Not quite William Wallace material, but close.) But I’m still getting icebreakers from “matches” made during that time. This is obviously eharmony’s attempt to keep me connected and lure me back. It seems they haven’t read my blog. I want this to end. Really. And while it may appear flattering that a guy would want to talk to me, it also seems likely that they spent the past 3 months pursing the matches in their cart, and are now moving onto their “save for later” list. The worst part is they don’t seem to know that I’ve bailed on the site – and I’m unable to communicate this info unless I sign up for another round. Egad.

Three: An analogy

I bit the inside of my lip eating the other day. Yes, I’m just coordinated like that. It swelled up a little bit so I managed to do it again. And then another, oh, 8 times or so. Each time, it gets easier to add to the injury and the situation just keeps escalating. I must have had time on my hands because I started thinking about how much this is like rejection or resentment or any of those other things we struggle with. It takes some special circumstance for the initial wound, but until it’s healed, even going about our normal business will cause pain and trouble. Didn’t Solomon use this example in Proverbs somewhere?

Four: A delight

I stopped by a friend’s house after work for a brief visit before picking up Cole. It was wonderful to chat, drink some holiday coffee, and eat chocolate caramels with sea salt on top. Her kids – 2 and (almost) 4 years old – woke up from a nap very reserved before the bushy-haired stranger (must’ve been humid today). Before long, they were introducing me to Honey Bear & Dolly, and counting for me in Japanese, German, Spanish, and French (seriously). It was sheer delight to hear the little voices and see the chubby bodies move around. I particularly appreciated the wedding dress and fancy shoes paired with the pink princess helmet.

But nothing could have prepared me for the greatest sendoff of all time. As I got up to leave, my heart melted as I got a hug, a kiss, and an “I love you” from each kid. But that was just the beginning. They followed around me shouting enthusiastic “I love you!’s” as I grabbed my purse and headed to the car, where they continued their hearty goodbyes. Talk about a boost. Kind of makes me wish I would act that way around some of the people I meet. So don’t be surprised if I follow you around yelling “I love you” over and over with the earnestness of an (almost) 4 year old.

Five: A question

As I shared about my very enjoyable date from the weekend, I started wondering about your experiences. So I’m asking you to hand over some dating stories… the good, the laughable, the dreadful, or that one you’ve conjured up in your head that hasn’t happened yet. Do tell.