February Week 2: 6 of Chalices

Week two of my February month ahead spread was the 6 of Chalices. This card is all about feelings of nostalgia, childhood memories, maybe unrequited love, or even just sweet memories from your past. When I look at the Spirit Keeper's Tarot's (created by Benebell Wen) 6 of Cups-or Chalices in this deck-it was easy to see my own son and daughter as the baby phoenix and the baby dragon respectively. The spirit occupant of the card is The Memory Keeper, and there's a sense of being able to access your Akashic records with it's presence.

There were several moments over the last week where I was feeling nostalgic, and it was through my children. Also ever present this past week was my theme card of the month, The Empress: the mother, the earth, the creator who births art and beauty into existence. The most obvious to note was that the children were with me last week (as opposed to with their Dad) so the Empress was truly predominant, but hold that thought....

Alright so going to back to the 6 of Chalices there was definitely a food theme.
In once case specifically Girl Scout Cookies. At the behest of my progeny, I caved and bought a few boxes outside the store where the girls were set up . Honestly, I can't remember the last time I had had these delectables. Together the 3 of us sat on the couch to watch a movie, and my son popped a thin mint in my mouth.
It was  joy.
So much so that my son sat up and exclaimed, "Mom! You looked exactly like how you must have looked as a little girl eating these!" It was that plain on my face. Immediately I was 10, sitting in the grade school cafeteria taking one out of my lunchbox. Sheer, genuine delight.

Then there was a snow day and I made hot chocolate. Not unusual. But there was something about standing in the kitchen, looking out at the snow as I stirred the chocolate on the stove, the aroma, it took me back to snow days in Ohio when we'd trek to my Grandmother and Grandfather's house to sled down their hill. My Grandmother and I were very close and she passed just 4 years ago at 97, but it seems like it could have happened yesterday. She was my number one supporter in all things and in life.
And I stood there.
And I cried.
It was visceral how it took me back. I could almost hug her again with the warm mug of hot chocolate in my hands.

One day during the week I was just exhausted. So.Many.Projects.Due....for the kiddos. And I'm not crafty. The Empress got us through, but Sweet Mary. I laid down in my bed, just for a minute, and my son came in and said, "Ok I'm gonna tuck you in."

?

What? Really? When in the world was the last time someone tucked ME in? Surely I was a child! And so he did. He put the covers over me, tucked them around, turned out the lights, and gave me a big hug. When the children were babies into their toddler years, I took great joy in the night time routine. Books, stories, puppet shadows, and of course rocking in the chair and singing their songs to help them sleep. There are days when I kinda miss it. It appears I taught him well though because I slept like a baby that night.

Now with my daughter both cards were ever present last week. Really for both of us.
She is in 6th grade ("6" of cups....see that?), and also 12 ( 1+2=3, The Empress....by the way if you are into numerology she is in her "3" year. Coincidence. I think not), and there was a lot of ....let's say navigating the whole being a young lady of 12 in the 6th grade last week. Again, there was so much memory recall of that time in my own life. All I could do was say all of the things I wished I could go back and tell my 12-year old self, only to my daughter. 
She told me something amazing. She and just a couple of her close friends are talking things out. They meet under a tree at recess and talk about all things awkward. They've named the tree "The Awkward Tree". That's way more emotionally intelligent than I remember being at that age. They hold counsel there without judgment. Just talk. Goddesses in training I think.

Indeed I will keep these memories created by my children this past week as per the The Memory Keeper spirit occupant of the 6 of Chalices.
​I suspect having recorded them here will invoke nostalgia in years to come.

(if you've made it down this far, thank you...xxoo Leah)