Fading Into The Background

While standing at the stove tonight, I looked up and noticed something out of place. Perched on top of my stove are 2 snowmen. They are Christmas decorations that were forgotten about. And here it is, 2 days until Easter, and they are still decorating my kitchen.

I've become so accustomed to having them there that I had forgotten all about them. Now that they have been brought back to the forefront of my mind, I know I need to put them away. Otherwise I'll look at them each day and kick myself for not doing it sooner. Or worse, I'll just forget about them all over again.

Isn't it strange how such minor things can start our minds going in a thousand different directions? As I thought about those renegade snowmen, I was hit with similarity between them and my family. Have I ever been guilty of letting my husband and children just fade into the background? Have I become so used to having them always nearby that I don't really see them as often as I should?

I think it is just human nature that we take the familiar for granted. For me, that means there are times I don't notice how hard Eric works to take care of our family or that my children's kisses come from the heart and are not just done out of routine. Laughter fades to background noise.

When those snowmen became obvious to me again, I was embarrassed remembering that they had also been there when my in-laws were over last week. Shouldn't I be just as embarrassed about all the other things I forget to see during the day?