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| May 2010 | Village Living
LifeActually By Kari Kampakis
Angels Among Us
Longworth
It’s easy to see heaven in a baby. I gaze into the eyes of Camille…my adoring fourmonth-old who flashes a gummy smile every time I glance her way…and the radiance blinds me. Finding a halo on a toddler who just hosted a tea party with toilet water, on the other hand, takes concerted effort. Likewise for the daughter who throws cutup chicken in her little sister’s milk and accuses her of being “evil.” I had a tough time deciding on an angle for this piece. Determined to focus on Mother’s Day, I debated how to celebrate the world’s deepest love without glossing over the hair-pulling frustration that threatens to leave me bald. Every time I sat down at the computer, the kids did something to annoy me—making it impossible to create pleasant commentary. Write when they’re asleep, I told myself. When their eyes are closed, and chests are rising and falling in a sweet rhythm, they look like cherubs again. “Children are a gift from God”—with this I wholeheartedly agree. Never have I felt as close to the Man upstairs as I have in the delivery room, holding for the first time a slimy, seven-pound miracle pure and unblemished by a dirty world. “Euphoric” hardly describes the emotions triggered when a newborn baby crosses the line between heaven and Earth. But in the months that follow, things inevitably change. Dinners stop streaming in, my starry eyes blur into bleary eyes, expectations and responsibilities reappear. Adrenaline rushes turn into mad rushes. I’m forced to give up guilty pleasures like “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and emerge from hibernation. More drastic than changes in my life are changes in the baby. She starts cooing, crawling, and cruising. She learns to talk… and talk back. Even at an early age, she shows a gift for throwing tantrums in public. Red-faced and flustered, I endure stares from shell-shocked onlookers and silently vow to never again take a baby to Target, or Old Navy, or anywhere else for that matter. The halo is fading.
Or is it? Could it be I’m just not looking hard enough? I had an experience last year that reminded me of God’s presence in my children—even as they age and misbehave. I was lying down with Marie Claire, then two, for naptime. With her back molded against my chest, she began to suck her thumb. Gradually her eyes grew heavy. They closed. She looked so peaceful and content I stroked her milky arm until her breathing hit a slow, deep stride. By every indication, she was asleep. Mission accomplished. I started to slip out, but an instinct held me back. The chance to hold one child without others tearing at me like a Rotisserie chicken was too rare to let pass. With Marie Claire’s warm body in my arms, a flood of sudden gratitude swept through me. I am so blessed, I thought. Why can’t I appreciate that every minute of every day? Why do I lose it when things don’t go my way? Vaguely aware of my mouth opening, I said, “Thank you, God.” Two seconds later, Marie Claire’s thumb popped out of her mouth. She looked over her shoulder and, in that melodic voice I love, whispered, “You’re welcome.” Well, suffice it to say that I gaped at my child as if Lazarus had risen from the dead. Some may consider this a funny coincidence, but to me it was a testament of God’s sense of humor. Somewhere above the clouds, He had to be laughing. And it is in that spirit that I wish every mother a calamity-free Mother’s Day. The angels God gives us are not the serene, harp-playing kind we see in collectible stores. Our angels have dirty faces, runny noses, impossible-to-fix hair. They generate more comedy than harmony and infuse our lives with absurdity. As imperfect as they are, however, they are perfect for us, and perfect reflections of their marvelous Creator. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mtn. Brook mom of four with a background in PR, photography, and writing. If you have feedback or a story/column idea to share, contact her at kampakis@charter.net
F
ine Furniture. Unique Chandeliers. Decorator Rugs. Upscale Candles. Unique Gifts. In-home Design Service. What more do you need to whip your house into shape? Longworth Collection opened its doors in July 2007, and since then, has evolved into the premier upper-end designer businesses on Highway 280. Aside from the instore selection, owner Constance Longworth is able to order items from many companies including Drexel Heritage, Lexington, American Drew, Lea Childrens, Bradburn, and Pulaski Furniture Companies. A one stop shop for everything for the home, with a guarantee that you Chandeliers, love all you either buy from the Accessories & Gifts, will store or order. If not, Constance will take it back and go back to the drawFine Furniture, ing board and find the perfect item. Carpet & Rugs, “I want you to love everything you Custom Bedding & purchase,” says Constance.
Window Treatments
Longworth
Fine Furniture
Longworth Collection 5426 Highway 280 Suite 6 The Terrace @ Greystone
437-9887
Marie Claire, Sophie, Ella, and Camille Kampakis.
Ball of Roses & Ballet Guild to Celebrate 50 Years
Seventy young women will be presented at the annual Ball of Roses, sponsored by the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, on Saturday, June 5 at the Country Club of Birmingham. The First Ball of Roses was held in August of 1961. Eleven young women from Birmingham were presented at the Ball. Each year, the ball is sponsored by the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, which is an invitational organization of young women dedicated to supporting the ballet in the Birmingham area through fund raising and volunteer work. Founded in 1959, the Ballet Guild was organized to promote and foster
the development of ballet in Birmingham in addition to raising funds for its support. Since its inception, the Ballet Guild has raised approximately $1.1 million dollars for the ballet. This year, the Ball of Roses celebrates its 50th anniversary and continues to serve as a vital fund raiser for the Alabama Ballet. The 2010 Ball of Roses chairwoman is Elizabeth Read and co-chairwoman is Elizabeth Rich. Carole Sullivan of Lagniappe Designs will be handling the floral decorations for the ball. Guild President is Caroline Little and Executive Vice President is Shannon Holt.