December 3, 2022
Turtles in the Kitchen
It had been one of those days. You know, when you begin to question everything, your brain shouts accusing bits at you and highlights every choice you’ve made since infancy, and your biggest challenge is to find something joyful to think on or something to be grateful for.
Jillian, Lucas, and Thea to the rescue!
“Mom! Where is Jillian?” cries Thea with a giggle.
“I’m a green turtle!” days Jillian’s muffled voice from under the green bin.
A simple little rubbermaid bin. It started life in our house about 14 or 15 years ago as a toy-bin because someone gave it to us with junk in it, a broken handle, and no top. We sanded the broken plastic and put big toys in it. At this location (smaller house, so smaller toy room and no space for it), it is our pantry dump bin; usually it contains baggies, extras that need a box like soaps, random cables, an occasional box that’s too big for the shelf, etc. Since Halloween, it had been used to set everyone’s separate candy/treat buckets inside and had been atop the refrigerator. This morning I had moved it to the floor with the intention of wiping it out and putting it back in the pantry.
Instead, it ended up being a turtle shell over Jillian!
Lucas and Thea were laughing so hard, “look, you can’t see her toes!” and “Mom! Jillian’s a turtle with a hard shell!” And Lucas banged drums on the shell.
Grandma has a red plastic bin she had just emptied that normally has decorations in it.
“Mom!” I hear a scream-yell from the kitchen.
“Look!” Yells Thea as she pulls the red bin over her head, “two turtles!”
“Two turtles!” Yells Lucas from the other, (Jillian is guiding Thea Turtle around so she doesn’t hit anything as she race-crawls around the kitchen)
I smile at so much fun from imagination and two silly plastic bins. Thank you God, for imagination! Thank you God, that you know my heart and send these little angels to make me remember that I just need simplicity to smile. My mood shifted from fighting my accusing brain to enjoying my children’s joy. He uses the simple to confound the wise. In the still small voice. All of Creation shouts His praise. A child shall lead them. All these sayings pound in my brain to drown out the accusations.
And now the turtles are a “turtle sandwich” to which one of my teenagers said, “mom, that’s something else” and giggled. (Someone has been reading their Biology book.)
Three turtles to the rescue!
Sometimes it’s a pretend turtle in the kitchen that can bring you joy! Thank you, God, for the blessings you have given us!
Thank you for reading!
Type at you next time!
~Nancy Tart