It's Thursday again....

Things are wrapping up around here.
Emma and Eleanor have just 5 more days of school
and

Lucy is all finished with her mom's day out program. 

 Forever.

She starts real preschool in the fall. 

The kind where I take her every. single. day. 

Let's not talk about that for another couple of months. 

Today after school we played at the park until 5:00.  We really didn't even want to leave but I had to think about dinner and being responsible.  As the kids played I felt like about a million pounds had been lifted from my chest.  The people I love are just happier and less ready to rumble. Choppy seas make clam days so very, very sweet!

A noodle

I feel like a noodle, a very relaxed, laid back noodle.  A noodle with lovely toenails and a relaxed back.   I had a massage, a facial and a pedicure today.  It was such a treat!  The best part of all is for the first time in forever my hands are completely pain free.  Completely.  I am typing this in a totally normal way, no fingers I'm avoiding or movements that are making me cringe.  I just stopped typing and made a fist with both of my hands, just because I could.  I've had a fair number of massages but never with this result.  I'm so excited, I could almost cry!  I'm going back in two weeks.

This is happening right now.  Lucy wanted to sit in the chair Eleanor is in.  They fought, El stood her ground.  Lucy came up with a solution.  Wondering about that spot in the middle of the rug?  Teddy did not cause it....to date he's not had one accident!  It was a chili spill last night.  Don't ask.

Today I'm grateful for-

1.) My morning at the spa.

2.) A three day weekend!!  Plus Kevin just decided he's not going to Chicago for work this weekend so he'll be home!  Such fun news!

3.) Everyone is home tonight.  We're going to watch The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again .  I'm expecting it to be as big of hit with the girls as the first was a couple of weeks ago.  I should have thought about making some apple dumplings.

October in May

 She asked me to make her some cinnamon toast a few minutes ago.  When I returned with the toast she was snoozing.   Eleanor walked into the room and looking at Lucy said "Mom, how is it possible that she always falls asleep in the cutest position?"  I wonder that too.  

Today felt like October to me and since fall is my favorite time of year I think it put a little extra spring in my step.  I had all sorts of really boring errands to run while Lucy was at school and the fall like weather made me want to stop for a Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Today I feel grateful for.....

1.) Early morning runs outside!  It is now light enough that I can go for a run outside in the morning before my house wakes up.  I love it!

2.) No after school activities today!  Things are really winding down in the activity department and I am so happy!  Emma's dance classes are over, no more Brownies, piano is almost finished and track will be over this weekend.  Track was cancelled today because of the rain- yahoo!  Right now Emma is in her bed reading, Eleanor is figuring out how to make a pretend phone and Lucy is fast asleep on the couch next to me.  

3.) Kevin is home early!  It's 5:00 and Kevin is home from work!!!!  This never happens,  he is on the phone addressing some kind of problem but he is physically at home.  

Peace like a river

Lucy has been singing the song Peace Like a River today and I just can't get enough of her sweet little voice.   Yes, I know this picture is not of Lucy singing but  my yard after rain gives me a feeling of peace! 

Day two of my gratitude list finds me peaceful and content.  Lucy and I had a stay home day today and I guess I hadn't realized how much we both really needed one of those.  She wore her pajamas or her leotard all day.  Though I changed out of my pajamas there was really no need.  We caught up on some chores and Lucy played with Barbies for hours before crashing for a two and a half hour nap.


Today I'm grateful for

1.) A rainy stay home day.

2.) Ingredients in my kitchen to make a last minute change from tilapia to broccoli cheese soup.  A rainy stay home day just kind of begs for homemade soup.

3.) Kids who make their own snack AND clean up!  It doesn't always happen but it did today.  Eleanor made a yogurt parfait....cut up a banana, drizzled honey on top and then put everything away and wiped the counter clean.  Lord have mercy!

Gratitude

Raising three amazing human beings is at times sobering work. The last six weeks have been some of the hardest of my parenting days.  Not the hardest.  Maybe not even ranking in the top five periods of hard times.  Still over my ten and a half years of being a mom, they rank pretty high.  I feel like it's safe to say that in many ways things are getting better.  Persistence.  Unconditional love.  Prayer. People that love and support you.  These are key I think in being able to keep up during tough times in parenting.  Plus gratitude.   When I can stop and think about what I'm grateful for, even on my crummiest days,  I know that I am blessed.

Today in my core group someone suggested it might be nice if we all kept a gratitude list of 3 things a day this week for which we are thankful.  I couldn't have agreed more.

1.) My clothesline and perfect clothesline weather.

2.) Getting a great big hug and then hearing "I like you".  I hear I love you a lot but something about hearing " I like you" just really made me smile today.

3.) Hearing Lucy talk to her newest pet, a lady bug.

Pink bathrobes on 3 year olds, I'm also very grateful for that. 

I'm still standin'

no matter that I look almost exactly like this portrait that Lucy drew of me with my hair all over the place, and my head about to roll off.  

May has not proven to be the relief I was hoping for.  

It's still early though. 

 After a really rough morning, I did get to go on an awesome field trip with Eleanor.  Win!

This afternoon while Lucy was resting I decided to gift myself with my own rest.  I heated up a some leftover coffee and retreated to my bedroom.  I never do that and I was so excited!

 Our windows are open to enjoy some fresh air.  And as I crawled into my bed I realized that along with the fresh air our windows were also bringing in the sounds of KSHE, the classic rock station, and nail guns. 

The house across the street is getting a new roof. 

Defeat is not in my vocabulary.  

I got into my bed.

]

While I rested and rocked out I thought a lot and prayed.  

Grace kept coming to mind.  Then in my inbox I got this .  Oh man did I ever need that.  

I thought about the kind of weekend I'm hoping to have and the kind of people that I hope show up.  Me included.   I decided the only thing to do was to  give a huge slice of grace to myself and my kids.   

I taped up this little message in the van and when I picked the older girls up from school we headed straight to Ted Drewes.

 Not a single one of us deserved it.

We talked about love and grace and making choices in life.  

And we laughed so hard on the way home over wrong turns, and goofy statements and two people shaking their fists at us.  

Then we got home and I made what was undeniably a rousing speech about pitching in and working together.  And Lucy promptly shredded a piece of Emma's homework, threw it on the floor  and ran outside to chase a bird.  

Love is spoken here

Joy is chosen here

Grace is given here