Mommy, do you have lipstick on?
Then no kisses
Just a hug!
If you kiss me with those red lips
I will have to wipe off
The lipstick!
Hugs I will give you gladly
But just one kiss
For me
Please!
But mommy
You have lipstick on
I cant walk around
With a lipstick mark!
You are so yummy
Your hugs so sweet
But a kiss on your cheeks
I cant resist!
Ill wipe off the lipstick
I promise
Now can I have
My little kiss?
Lida Berghuis
June 28th, 2004
Sitting downstairs
I hear the pitter patter of little feet
Walking around
Pitter patter pitter patter
I must be quick
Pitter patter pitter patter
The morning is here
Pitter patter pitter patter
Lets wake dad up
Pitter patter pitter patter
It’s time to start
Pitter patter pitter patter
He comes down the stairs
Pitter patter pitter patter
Now, I can see his face
A bright little face
With a beautiful smile
That lights up the room
And warms my heart
The pitter patter
Has come to a stop
I ask for a hug
And his arms open wide
He envelopes me
In those little arms
He gives me a kiss
That melts my heart
These are the joys
Of having a child
These are the pleasures
Of being a mom!
Lida Berghuis
Sept. 18th, 2003
Try to enjoy life
What seems of huge consequence
Will wash away like a sandcastle in time
Look at the positive
The negative will always be there
Looking at the sunny side
Will bring light and warmth into your life
Don’t be too hard on yourself
There are many things you do well
We always need to improve
But with ourselves we must be patient
See what you have
Rather than what you don’t
Count your blessings
They are easy to ignore!
You may think you know
How things are or should be
But understanding life is not easy!
Things are not black and white
We realize we are mistaken many times!
What we thought we understood
Will suddenly seem all wrong
Confusion will replace clarity
A thunderstorm, a period of calm
Strength will leave us many times
But when we feel weak
We are learning to be strong
We will gradually realize the
Value of trials
Anger and confusion will be replaced by
Understanding and calm
The world has a way of teaching us
That we are very small
And to survive and thrive
We need sunshine
The sunshine of Faith and patience
And the heat of trials
Lida Berghuis
April 5th, 2013
Sometimes we think we’ve done
Everything right
Crossed the t’s
Dotted the i’s
Taken care to be thorough
Taken the time
And yet something goes wrong
Sometimes we think
We’ve learned from our experiences
In the past
Been there, done that
Figured it out
And yet we are so surprised
To be where we thought
We would not go one more time
Sometimes we’re so sure
We’re on the right track
Have thought things out
The road seems smooth and flat
But detours appear
Out of nowhere
We’re taken by surprise again
Sometimes we think
We’ve had our share of trials
Suffered enough
Been tested and tried
But we encounter
Another hurricane, and
What we’d so carefully built
Disappears in an instant!
Call it unfair
Cry out: not again!
Curl up from distress
Or lash out with rage
Reality can’t be changed
You can’t go back
And start again
But you can go forward
And problem solve
Think and pray
And talk things out
This life, is a series of marathons
The finish line, not for the faint of heart!
We train
We prepare
We do our best
But surprises will
Always be there
So, take it one day at a time
You will surely overcome
There will be gray days
Rain and hurricane
But the sun will shine again
You will feel better than you did before
Because you have overcome
And understand more!
Lida Berghuis
April 5th, 2011
Nicholas has one sock on
One sock off
Its an odd image
But what stands out
Is the he does not mind!
I see him walking down the hall
One sock on
One sock off
I wonder why he doesnt
Take the other sock off
Or put the first sock on!
Asymmetry
Something odd
It catches my eyes
He is so at ease with himself
Walking one sock on
One sock off!
I ask him
What happened to your sock?
He says, Natasha took it off!
And keeps walking
One sock on
One sock off
I keep staring at him
And wonder why
It bothers me so much
That he has only one sock on!
Lida Berghuis
February 23rd, 2004
Nicki does not discriminate
Old or young, boy or girl, friend or stranger
To him, it’s all the same!
To him, what matters is the
Human factor!
He will talk to anyone
He will become engaged from the start
His enthusiasm and charm
Disarms whoever comes his way
He is accepted right away
He is admitted to the group
And pretty soon
He’s at the centre
Giving ideas, listening with care
Making you smile
And blowing you away!
And all this he does
Without trying hard
He is almost oblivious
To his own charm
I overhear him talking
To Nat’s friends
I have to smile
How did he join them?
What does he have to say
To seventeen year old girls?
I look over
And I see his face
So intense!
He is so present
He’s all there!
He’s engaged
A bottle of joy
A bottle of charm
Full of energy
Full of life
Who would not want
To be around
This essence of joy
This fountain of love?
Lida Berghuis
March 4th, 2011
Mommy, me hung, me hung!
English please?!
Mommy, you know!
I am hungry!
Could you make a snack for me?
Bread with chocopasta*
And some applesauce
That would really hit the spot!
Nicki, darling, youre eleven years old
Im sure you can do this on your own
Yes, I could
But its so much nicer
When you make it
Why dont you get it yourself
Its so easy, not complicated
Its OK mom
Ill wait for you
When you have time
Please remember, me hung!
Because youre sweet
And diplomatic and kind
Because you give me
Kisses morning, noon and night
Because your hugs
Are so delicious, I say
Ill make your snack for you
This time
But youre growing up
Youll make it next time!
Lida Berghuis
February 18th, 2011
*chocopasta = nutella in Dutch
I can be philosophical
A lot of the time
Maybe I need to lighten up!
Write a poem about something fun
Something to cheer someone up!
Tu veux messer avec moi?
Said Nick this morning
To my Ipad as he played a game
That cracked me up!
Don’t even think of it
Tu vas dier
He went on
I asked him if he felt lighter
Because he lost a tooth last night?
He said, No, not really
Another tooth is growing in its spot!
Natalie was nervous for her
First day back
Ready to walk out in -14 degree weather
Without mittens on her hands
Natasha had her new green hat on
With a jacket and a scarf
And as she was leaving the house
She was going over her schedule
Thinking out loud
One by one, they left the house
Into the cold winter day they stepped out
Are these my kids, I thought
I promissed I wouldn’t get philosophical
So, I guess I’ll stop now!
Lida Berghuis
January 17th, 2011
Smash!
There goes my favorite vase!
Splash
All the water spills out!
Splatter
The flowers fall on the ground!
Scream!
Oh no!
That was my favorite vase!
Tears…
I’m sorry I didn’t mean to
I was just playing a pirate game
Anger!
I’ve told you many times
Not to play with the broom inside!
Sobs
You have pushed me too far
I think I want to run out of the house!
Astonishmet!
Who should be angry right now?
The one whose vase is broken
Or the one who has done the crime!?
Mommy I told you, I didn’t mean to
Mommy, I need to go
First though I’ll pack my teddy bear
And some spare clothes
A flash light, some books and toys
And then I’ll leave
And stay outside
Maybe until its dark at night
And where do you plan to go
All by yourself?
Can you tell me that
Before you start on you adventure?
I’ll be just down the road
In the second court
And when it gets dark
I’ll come back home!
You just pushed me too far
This time
I have to leave
I must go right now!
Well, Tasha dear
I’m sorry too
I did not mean to hurt you
What if we try a compromise?
Let us try this idea for size
What if you go out in the front of the house?
Stay out for a while and come back inside.
All right
I think I can do that
As long as you promise
Not to hurt me like that!
Lida Berghuis
March 28th, 2004
Tasha was 8 years old at this time.
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