Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Three Bears

It wasn't a big deal. 

Well, it shouldn't have been.

I was just going around the house after putting the baby to bed last night, picking up a stuffed bunny here, wiping fingerprints off the table there, and doing a little quilting in between.

Then I went to hang up Lydia's new winter coat.  Her very first coat.  I set it on the stairs, thinking it would go in her closet.  But then I thought better of it.  It was a coat, after all, even if it was just itty bitty.

To the coat closet it would go, with all the other coats.

I opened the closet and hung the little coat.  I went to shut the door and go on to my next task, but I looked up just in time to see a beautiful sight, one that, as I said before, shouldn't have been a big deal.

But it brought tears to my eyes, I tell you.

There before me was a daddy coat, a mommy coat, and a baby coat.

Suddenly that old coat closet was no longer the place where I hastily threw my bags, scarfs, and hats, where Brian's dusty binoculars hung from a peg, and where my bent umbrella quietly stood at the ready.  I saw it as a symbol.  I wondered how many more itty bitty coats I will be able to hang in our closet over the years.  I wondered how many would be girly, and how many would be blue.

I wondered how it would feel to watch the coats get bigger and bigger until they disappeared altogether.

But for now, there are the three.  A daddy coat, a mommy coat, and a baby coat.

And they are all just right.

11 comments:

Jessica and Reece said...

You, my dear, are a fantastic writer. Let's just pretend I didn't get teary while reading about the coats. Hands down, best coat-closet story ever.

Kaylynn said...

Beautiful--and it is just right!

Kimba said...

...how many of them would be manure-stained.... :)

i would like a coat photo! i hope it's a puffy one...like a full body puffy suit!!

i just want to see her chubby little cheeks forcing their way out of the head opening. that's all. :)

loved it.

Eliza said...

I LOVE moments like that, where it feels like heaven is wrapped around the family and each person in it, even over something as simple as coats in a coat closet.

Camille and Paul said...

Perfect.

Leslie said...

Why is it that your posts always bring on the faucets? I will tell you why...because you are a beautiful writer. Get that book going my friend! Actually, never mind. Keep writing beautiful posts about being a mommy. That is much more important.

Steph said...

You need to write a book. You always know just what to say and how to say it.

Liv said...

Just wait until there are little tiny baby shoes lined up next to yours in the house.

I'm looking forward to my baby loving shoes as much as I do :)

Lorene said...

Oh, Abby, your writing causes me to picture and feel..and I get emotional too. So glad you are capturing these moments on your Mommy journey.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all the above:
1. I got a little teary :)
2. I want to see a picture...oh chubby arms!
3. You are a marvelous writer and I am ready to be your groupie!
4. You live oh so far away and it makes me miss you even more!
5. I may or may not have felt a tremendous longing to have a coat closet...and a little person to wear little coats.

Lauren said...

Lurking. Liking. Linking. :)