The Color of Butterfly Wings

I could never claim one single Primary song as a favorite.  There are too many to love - and they all speak to different corners of my heart.  But there is a certain song* - ever beloved - that I love even more with each passing year because it reminds me so much of my girl!

Lucy has such eyes for beauty, such ears for music, and such a heart for love.  I need to take time to write about her school activities, and her art, and a few of her antics.  But I thought I'd start by sharing a few shots of her room. 

 

When we decided to build a home two summers (or was that ten million summers?) ago, Wes raised an eyebrow when the first thing I did was order a set of magnetic butterflies from Darlybird.  "For Lucy's room," I told him. (Duh!)  It was, perhaps, a little preemptive.  We didn't even have a foundation poured. 

But dreaming about our potential space got me through the long months of construction and distracted me occasionally from Wes's deteriorating health.  And it has, subsequently, been a great outlet for the sentimentality that is so much a part of grief...and of which Wes and I have an overabundance, by nature. 

So here's a little commentary on my girl's little space...


Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue blue sky,

trees painted by Lucy in Kindergarten

Whenever I feel the rain on my face, or the wind as it rushes by,

kite made by Lucy last year to hang over Wes's hospital bed;

family tree by Sarah Jane Studios

Whenever I touch a velvet rose or walk by our lilac tree,

 Rebecca sent those great paper flowers.

the little Winnie the Pooh clock was a gift from my friend Brynn in...jr high?  i've had it all these years!

those two white shelves are from the D. I. and they give me endless grief.  I'm constantly wishing one or the other was higher or lower!...

and never mind that we're still rotating cousin Abby's 2011 calendar!  it's too cute to replace!

 I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world,
Heavenly Father created for me

"deilig er jorden" means, literally "the earth is beautiful"  and is the title of a Norwegian song (of utmost sentiment) that I will write more about someday =).

He gave me my eyes that I might see the color of butterfly wings

Lucy's teacup from last Mother's Day

Her beloved D. I. butterfly wings.  Best dollar I ever spent.
 

the real butterfly she and Spencer watched for many days last summer at G and G Packer's house when Wes was so sick.  A few weeks after Wes died, Grandma found it resting lifeless on a flower.  A sweet little reminder.  

He gave me my ears that I might hear the magical sound of things.

tiny ark from Grandma Truman is where Lucy keeps her teeth.  Just in case anyone was wondering. 

He gave me my life, 

Lucy's (beautiful!) handmade-by-Grandma-Truman blessing dress. Can you believe that in my digital drawers full of photos I don't have a picture of Wes holding Lucy in that dress on her blessing day? *tears*

my mind,

 E. H. Shepard art...a beloved souvenir from my friend Michelle's four months in London during our college years.

my heart,

Valentine heart from Lucy's twin cousin Kate a few years ago

I thank him reverently, for all these creations...

   

Rug was another purchase made long before our house was finished.  I showed it to Wes once and said, "It's the perfect Aslan rug!"  Ever a lover of The Chronicles of Narnia (and of me), he bought it. 

i painted the apple before Lucy was born with a set of water colors Wes had given me for Christmas. 

my dad (the true artist) painted the charming little horse when he was in college. lucy and i l o v e it.  

and we both love that grandpa. 

and all the other ones (+ grandmas)...

 we had the best time together one night during spring break, penning in all those beloved names.

pretty soon Lucy will be talking about all of those people with her own children.

what sweet, powerful, heart-to-heart connections.

the dear little cradle is a hand-me-down from one of my dear Provo young women. 

 have we finished the song yet???...all these creations of which I'm a part,

she is our sunshine.

Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me

*My Heavenly Father Loves Me by Clara McMaster