Categories

Archives

erin

erin

I'm Erin Jo. I'm thinking, writing, dreaming, mothering, loving, living, praising, BLESSED to be Fiona to my Shrek and Mommy to my four amazing kiddos.

dave

dave

Shrek is "like an onion with many layers" but has a heart of gold. He's my husband and my friend, and we just get better all the time.

lily

lily

Lily is my first baby and only girl. She's smart, funny, tall and kind. Keeping up with this girl is a challenge and a joy. She's terrific!

max

max

Max is one part ogre, two parts lover and all boy! Our little man has a temper but gives the best hugs of anyone I know!

colby

colby

Colby is as ornery as he looks. He flirts shamelessly, even with strangers. He's all mouth and curls and the loudest by far.

luke

luke

Luke is the baby of the family, but holds his own. He's happy and adorable. And he's a terrible sleeper. =)

Icing on the Cake

Not sure why, but this phrase has been coming to mind a lot lately. It could be that I have cake on the mind–specifically, leftover Frances Tornes cake from Luke’s birthday bash. This is available only here in my small town, and I tell all who do not have ready access to this woman’s magical cake: I am so sorry. You are missing out.

It’s kind of a double entendre, this phrase in my mind. If the cake is good enough, it doesn’t need the icing. And, if I think of my physical self, that would mean that the many things I just don’t have time for right now (plucking eyebrows, painting nails, and a couple of other things I don’t care to share,) don’t matter. They are the icing on the cake, yes, but this cake is fine for now.

But I think it’s the other way of thinking about “icing on the cake” that tells the true story of my life right now.

It’s nice that my body got an awesome workout yesterday when I joined my league volleyball team for a double-header, but the icing on the cake was the mental workout it provided.

It was so wonderful to spend the afternoon and evening with a mature, tantrum-free, well-behaved Lily at the dentist office and running errands today, but the icing on the cake was the “date” it became, the laughter and conversation we shared, the reminder that, oh yes, God gave me a daughter, and I am ever grateful.

And finally, it’s so nice that I got to see my girlfriends and drink some fabulous moscato on Monday night, but the icing on the cake was seeing one of those girlfriends let down her burden to laugh and relax for three beautiful hours while all of us poured love on her sweet daughter, who has shown us all what it means to want something so bad, it hurts.

It might be enough to live your life, but the icing on the cake is gratitude, service and humility.

Godspeed, fellow humans. Don’t just be good, do good.

Leave a Reply