"I recommend to you holy simplicity. Look straight in front of you and not at those dangers you see in the distance. As you say, to you they look like armies, but they are only willow branches; and while you are looking at them you may take a false step. Let us be firmly resolved to serve God with our whole heart and life. Beyond that, let us have no care about tomorrow. Let us think only of living today well, and when tomorrow comes, it also will be today and we can think about it then. In all this we must trust and be resigned to God's providence."
St. Francis de Sales
I've posted this before but it came to my mind this morning as the day I've been dreading for years finally arrived.
My baby lost his first tooth.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. He is just as irresistibly cute and lovable as he has ever been. It's all fine.
You might think I'm being funny or exaggerating how much I fretted over this first real childhood event, but I'm not. Since becoming a mother, the passing of time has been unbearable at times. I remember sitting on the floor in my parent's dining room sobbing because my newborn daughter was already 3 weeks old. But she's ten now and I love her even more than I did then. I hope this trend continues. My dad insists it will.
More than anything I wish that I could get the above quote to sink into my head and stop my heart aching over these little milestones.
Oh, Jenn! I can relate. I think we all can, as moms. Enjoy that toothless smile. And let that beautiful quote soak in as best you can. I am printing it out and putting it over my kitchen sink. It's one I think I need to read every.day.
Posted by: Sarah | May 21, 2011 at 07:57 AM
Yep, right there with you...
Posted by: KC | May 21, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Where did you find that wonderful quote? I need it to sink in too.
Posted by: Nicole | May 21, 2011 at 06:11 PM
I cant remember Nicole. It may have been here. Its one of my favorites, but thats true for just about everything he wrote.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 21, 2011 at 06:24 PM
I'm glad to here it's normal to cry because you're three week old is getting too big... I did exactly that too a couple months ago. I love the De Sales quote too, very appropriate for many thing!
Posted by: Molly | May 24, 2011 at 08:22 AM
It's okay to cry over it. He's growing, and we cannot stop what's only natural. The best we can do is to keep track of every moment, before it becomes lost in our memories.
Posted by: Serena Mcelyea | August 19, 2011 at 11:54 AM
Everybody experiences losing a tooth in their childhood. That's part of growing up. Your kid will be happy since it will be gradually replaced with a permanent tooth.
Posted by: Brendon Spaziani | October 19, 2011 at 06:19 AM