Sniffing Blankets

"The Left Behinds"
Middle Grandson's Orange Blanket
Youngest Grandson's Polka-Dot Blanket

I tracked UA Flight 231 all the way across the United States. That flight takes place everyday. But I didn't care about other days. I cared about it yesterday. It took off at Dulles at a little before 3:30pm. Late...that's United! At 5:00pm it was entering Iowa. At 6:00pm the flight was over Kansas. 7:00pm halfway through New Mexico. 8:00pm entered California. Landed in San Diego at 8:30pm.

It was my way of hanging on to my only daughter and her three little guys. My heart aches for her presence and little boys' voices. I kept busy as I checked throughout the five and half hour flight. I stripped all the beds, washed and remade beds. Went throughout the house and picked up the "take and migrate" items that the three year old found in one place and were never to be found there again. I wasn't mad...it made me laugh and long. I went out to the yard and picked up three gazillion sticks of different shapes and sizes that were left everywhere! Inside toys found outside. Three drinking cups gotten while out to lunch at Longhorn Steak House. Oldest grandson's was on the coffee table in the living room. Middle grandson's was by his bed. Youngest grandson's was in the driveway. Each spot tells volumes about the personality of each boy.

I was also looking for (hoping) what was left behind. I don't know about other mothers/grandmothers in the same situation, but I handle these "left behind" items for about a week. Savoring the memories they conjure. I found the mother-lode of left-behinds. The two youngest left their blankets. The first thing I did was pull these blankets into my arms, close my eyes, and took the deepest inhalation of the essence of little boy on each blanket. There they were, Middle Grandson and Youngest Grandson! Sweaty, fresh air hair rubbed off onto polka dot and orange blankets.

All the animals today, know they are gone. They only know they haven't had so much to eat in a long time--double portions!!! The house is quiet. Toys are gone. Counters clean. iPad & iPhone have no fingerprints on their screens.

It's normal again. My heart aches for all the noise, mess, and disorder. So it was that I watched the flight that took them far from my arms.

The joy of what I've written is that it is all God. He tracks us! He notices the little things and makes a big deal out of all the insignificant. They are precious to Him. We are precious to Him. Through the tears that fell, I was smiling. Smiling because this from-garden-soil back to garden-soil-woman is in His image. These instincts, motherly feelings, and deep sentiments are from Him. This is God. This is Him in me. This is me in Him. I wonder if He smells my sweat, air-kissed hair some days. What does He do to "take me in"?  How we go bonkers over those we love, do we not think He does the same with us? From where do these feelings we have come? Are they not in the heart of the One who inhabits the throne room? I love God's mother's heart.

I have to say, little blankets are calling for me to take another big sniff. I bet God is doing the same. Joy!