what healing looks like

Growing up, I always imagined protecting my children from the world. I never even consider the possibility that my children could be hurt and scarred and battered. Parents are supposed to shield their children.

Some days I feel like I'm a day late and a dollar short.

There are those moments when I wish I had a magic wand and I could wave it and *poof* all would be easy. But then I look a little closer. There's a lot of healing going on around here. To someone who isn't living it day in and day out, it might be possible to miss the healing. For that matter, it might be possible for someone who is living it day in and day out to miss the healing because she just might be deep-bone tired.

Like most things in life, there is an ebb and flow to healing. At first, you just catch glimpses. I'm holding on to these moments. They sustain me. It is only fitting to make a list of healing slices.

1. It's handing over the last bit of monkey bread dessert when you know you've had more than another.
2. It's taking a shower the first time you're asked without stomping or yelling.
3. It's drying the dishes and saying, "I love you."
4. It's not taking the extra shot at the hoop when you're called in for dinner.
5. It's getting all mad, facing a consequence, and accepting responsibility.
6. It's sharing the monster truck.
7. It's laughing over the whoopee cushion on your sister's chair.
8. It's filling water glasses without being asked.
9. It's saying, "I'm glad you don't yell at me, Mom."
10. It's boxing with you're dad.

Love makes healing possible. And healing builds a family.