THE ONE ABOUT THE PLANT

OK, so you see this plant? No, not the three fake succulents to the right -- and yes, I don't even trust myself to keep a plant that hardly ever needs watered alive. I'm talking about the tall one in the plastic cup. 

Yes, so that plant is amazing to me.

No it's not because of it's fancy container or the fact that it has a kabob skewer holding it up straight. It's because of this ...

This plant was brought home by Emma from Sunday School a month or two ago. Well, I should say, this cup, some dirt and a planted seed came home with her. She was bound and determined to find the best spot in the house for it, and we landed on right by the window in the kitchen so it could get some sunlight (her first choice was her bed so she could sleep by it at night, but mama ixnayed that one -- fun hater, I know). 

Once the plant had a spot in our home, I didn't really give it much thought. Like most things, I figured she'd lose interest in it after a few days and I'd end up tossing it.

But, I couldn't have been more wrong.

That little girl has watered it meticulously each and every day since. So much so, that one morning when I was up before everyone else, I looked at it and thought it could use a little water. So, I watered it. Seems reasonable, right? Well, later on that morning once everyone was awake, Emma came marching into my room and very accusatory asked, "Mommy, did you water my plant?" When I told her I had, she proceeded to scold me on the fact that I put too much water in it (it's like she knew I've killed no less than 10 house plants in my life and wanted my nowhere-to-be-found-green-thumb faaaar from her pride and joy). 

I haven't touched it since.

But, she most definitely has! And, she is so darn proud of this thing. I even overheard her talking to her neighborhood buddies when they were playing outside the other day about how big her green bean plant is getting.

I must admit, I had no idea that's what this thing is.

As I was cleaning the kitchen counters tonight for the 900th time today, the plant caught my eye for some reason, and while I'm ashamed to admit it, I finally read what was printed on the cup:

"But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently."

- Romans 8:25

So perfect.

I don't know about any of you, but patience is something I find myself reminding my kids to have multiple times throughout the day -- the twins are by far the worst at this ;) Up until that moment though, I hadn't really thought about what great patience she was practicing by loving, caring and sustaining the life of this little green bean plant.

It made me so proud of her. And, it also reminded me of just how quickly she is growing up. She didn't need me to teach her, or show her, or grow this thing for her (clearly, I couldn't even water it properly!). She did it all by herself, and, just like the verse reads, she has done it "patiently" and "confidently."

And, when I started to think about it further, I realized that the patience I practice could use a little reality check ...

I have never been very good about living in the moment -- I'm always looking to the next thing. Lately, I find myself saying things like, "I can't wait until this time next year when the twins won't need to eat every three hours!" Or, "a year from now, life will be so much easier!"

And, while these things are very much things I look forward to a year from now, that also means that Emma will be SEVEN, Finley will be SIX and Beckett will almost be THREE. And, once next summer gets here, I'm sure I'll have a new set of things "I can't wait until (fill in the blank)." 

Where does it end? With that mindset, before I know it, the twins will be graduating from high school and I'll be in the corner balling my eyes out reminiscing about the times when all of my kids used to live at home, and most definitely having a selective memory as to the amount of chaos that all entailed :) 

There's a whole lot of life and fun to be had between right now and a year from now. And, I don't want to wish all of that away!

So, here's to living in the present. Embracing the current. Showing patience in the hear and now. The good, the bad and the ugly. The grass isn't always greener (but this green bean plant sure is). 

***

Just one question this time to all of my gardening friends: is this really a green bean plant?!