Gratitude

It's that time of year to find time and reflect on all of our thanksgivings.  I fluctuate from being so overwhelmed with my ability to walk and talk and see all the glorious creations that God has put before us... to unrest.

In that unrest I struggle to be thankful, it gives me an edge.  An angry edge that comes off entitled and less grateful than I would like to be.

I really want that unrest to help me make a difference.  To work harder, stronger, and smarter.  To set an example of a life that I would want my children to follow.  

So I am going to make peace with my unrest and be grateful that there is a part of me that longs for a world that is a little different.  I'm not giving up on making the world a little different but I also will make a promise to stop and enjoy all the beautiful sites and smells along the way.  Life is too short to have it any other way.

Peace to you, my friends.

Halloween 2017

Meet our Snake Charmer, VooDoo Doll, SuperGirl, Belle and MerDog

Big accomplishments

 Completing a science fair project is a big deal for anyone.  It involves research, organization, commitment, planning, trial and error, and decent writing skills to pull it all together enough to explain your ideas.

Not the easiest of tasks to do.  

So when Julianne came home excited about the science fair at school that was 

OPTIONAL 

Matt and I exchanged looks.  

Thankfully Grandma Jane happened to be visiting 

and Julianne was smart enough to ask her to help 

with her biggest and bluest eyes.  

Julianne struggles with reading, writing, and especially math.  

Learning does not come easy for her.  She has spent the past three summers in intense tutoring learning to read and spends much of her school day in the resource room.  

So it was a nice surprise that she was excited about the science fair.   Julianne and Grandma got straight to work and worked diligently together.  

That hard work paid off with a first place win!!  

Julianne was so tickled and embarrassed to win that she wouldn't leave my side to go on stage but we know how proud she is of the work she did.  

The ribbon is hanging proudly on her wall.

Vincent had his last soccer game of the season today.  

It has been interesting to watch the progress that the team has made.  They lost more games than they won this season.  

Vincent has done lots of growing and maturing right along with his team.  I love this photo because I'm not even sure exactly where his feet are and where his head is, he's part of the team.  

That has not always been an easy lesson for him to learn but one that I'm grateful he is learning.  

ESCAPE

I have been guilty of exercising many different forms of escaping throughout my career as a mother.  Sometimes it has been reading, binge TV watching, knitting, Days for Girls, rarely exercising, Facebook, or simply dreaming of a different life.

Mothering is hard.  

It never goes away.  The job always changes, so you never feel very good at it.  The thanks are few and far between.  The tasks are redundant and mindless.

So when my latest form of escape Call the Midwife had an episode (season 5, episode 5) that spoke directly to me I thought you also might like to hear:  And I'm sorry if you don't know these characters you really should because they are so lovely and kind and just should be a part of your lives.

In this episode, Nurse Crane is speaking to a father who is just finding out that his wife has left him with a brand new healthy baby.  He is asking about the bond between a mother and a baby and if that comes naturally or with time.  Nurse Crane says this "Hard work makes a mother.  We like to think something magical happens at birth, and for some it does.  But the real magic is keeping on when all you want to do is run."  To which the father replies "The Lord gives us what we need, not always what we want."

So with that in mind.. I push on..  Thanking the Lord for my many gifts and talents that do allow me to keep on.

The best part

Claudia maintains the best belly laugh in the house and Eloise could be as sassy as she likes (please don't tell her) as long as she can make her sister laugh.  Oh how I love them both!