I remember the day my mom left, Gavin went to work, and I was left alone with my two year old little girl and my two week old baby. As I ventured downstairs to make lunch for the first time as a mother of two, I was thinking wild thoughts about the craziness babies bring. I was thinking, "Who in their right minds would choose to have a baby. Considering the money and time they require. Considering all the lost opportunities, adventures not taken, ambitions set aside as the world practically stops turning." I thought the idea must come from on high, divine intervention to override the insanity of voluntarily asking for all this.

At about this point, I set a sandwich in front of my darling daughter and she looked at me up through her thick long lashes with her big blue eyes. She didn't say or do anything, just looked at me for a second. It hit me so hard, it took my breath away and brought instant tears to my eyes. It was as if the windows of heaven opened through her eyes and poured out its love and light on me. All I could choke out was, "Oh. OK." My question was answered and I understood completely.

Children are a precious gift. It is an honor and our privilege to be their custodian for a time. I want to remember this every day. I want to feel this every time they look at me. I want to give them so much love and treat them with the kindness that they deserve as children of our Heavenly Father.

To serve our children is one of the greatest gifts God has given us. I hope I captured that remembrance in this painting that I am calling "Windows of Heaven."