schumann, sisters, and sous chefs

Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax, performing various works for piano and cello by Schumann. Ah. I love Schumann: clean. Linear. Not overdone. And so much magic in the middle, as Busch always says. If I must listen a Romantic composer, and sometimes I really should, well, let me have Schumann, by all means. You can have Liszt. Really. Go ahead. I’m quite happy with my listening choice.

Talking with one sister, chatting with another. Ah. You know the phrase (on every card at Hallmark), “Chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends”? Well, I’m not so sure that’s true for us. I very specifically remember my parents making us friends (right, guys?), but goodness, I’m so very glad they did. Sisters who are friends are one of the best things going. I’m sure of that.

Waking to a kitchen that is less than spotless, because I just had enough in me to stack dishes, wipe the table, and turn off the light last night. Not so Ah.

But. Learning to unwind about such matters, pat my growing belly, and realize that rest is important, too: Ah. God will help me once again today: help me to work hard, and help to rest in Him when I realize it just won’t all get done. And He’ll help me enjoy the little man who is not the least bit affected by the state of my kitchen counter. How many times has his happy, joyful attitude helped me loosen up just a bit more? Many. Many, many.

Lastly — New things I’m discovering about myself: I used to think that if, while baking or cooking, the counter didn’t stay cleaned up as I went, and the floor promptly swept every time a speck of flour fell, I would just absolutely lose it. Well, turns out, I won’t lose it. I won’t die. I won’t even cry. I can totally survive baking with a 20 month old sous chef. And amazingly enough, as ridiculously messy as it can get, it still only takes a few minutes to clean it all up at the end. Silly, maybe, but I think that’s my testimony of God’s grace for the day. :)

5 Comments schumann, sisters, and sous chefs

  1. Katie

    You’re quite right about parents making sisters friends. In a household full of girls soooo many tears shed, heads butt, and personalities clashing… but the deep bonds, knowing glances, and memories shared? How I love my sisters. One is in Africa, one has recently moved to “the city”, one is a tremendously busy music therapy major commuting, and my baby sister… she goes to college this fall. I cry every time I think about it. She’s had more free time in her last year home to swing by to chat, go for a last minute shopping trip, and share a late night movie while my husband’s away or working late.

    There are 8 years between us, the oldest and the youngest. And most certainly she is one of my best friends. We’ve had lots of laughs over cups of coffee, and serious discussions while curled up on the couches by the fire.

    The investment my parents made, in “making us friends”, how that has more than returned what was put in. A lifetime of this sort of friendship blesses my heart. Which helps outweigh the agony of my cries “WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT HER?!?!!!?”

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