I Smile When...

I unexpectedly find a dragon in my living room. 

 

You're a Mom. You Can't Say That!

We had a busy morning.  The kind of busy morning that is super boring if you're a four-year-old.  E sat quietly by herself for over an hour this morning while we were in a (frustrating) meeting at school.  Then she waited quietly for a good 45 minutes during my chiropractic appointment.  To top the morning off, E stood still at the unexciting (to her, not me!) camera store for a fair amount of time. 

Her exemplary behavior could not go unnoticed, so I let her pick out a few cupcakes for our family to enjoy after dinner tonight. 

Our conversation as she was thoughtfully picking out a cupcake for each person...

E:  What kind do you want mommy?

Me:  I'm not going to have one, so we just need three.

E:  Why?

Me:  You and Daddy and J can have them.  I'll just have a beer instead.

Father/Son Bonding

Some fathers bond with their sons over model airplanes, fishing, hunting, nature hikes, a sport, reading, or building.

 

The father and son living in our house deeply connect over fantasy football.

So much so that J has been pouring over magazines the past few weeks and manically participating in mock drafts.

 

 

There's been so much football talk around here that even E asked if they were able to draft Calvin Johnson.  And for the record, she has no idea who he is.

 

J even moved into the big seat this year.  He was allowed to make most of the picks in one of Steve's leagues.  I think Daddy was a little uneasy about giving up that control...

 

Good luck, boys!

Still Trying

After nearly five years of trying, it's still impossible for me to get a look-at-me-and-smile shot of these two together.

 

 It's frustrating. 

Sometimes I sigh.

A lot.

And then yell.

 

But when they look at each other like this, my mommy heart skips a beat.





Bird Poop Happens

Yesterday morning, E and I slowly strolled around the block searching for insects and feathers.  She proudly captured a grasshopper (who subsequently escaped in our house...better than a loose snake though) and collected a few other things along the way.  The last half of our journey home consisted of a tearful little girl with bird poop on her head. 

I offered a supportive hand to hold and a few reassuring words as we walked up the hill to our house.  As I lathered up the shampoo on my crying daughter's head, I only had one thought:  I am so grateful to be here, right now, washing bird poop out of E's hair. 

I've been finding myself marveling in the ordinary this past week.  One night I woke up around 3:00 a.m. and was giving thanks to God as I sat on the edge of my bed just looking around appreciatively at my unkempt bedroom barely lit by the glow of the alarm clock.  A different day I grinned when I was able to bend my right elbow enough to brush my unruly hair.  I've had feelings of intense joy wash over me at the sounds of giggles in my house.  Hugs and kisses have warmed me to the core.  Routine conversations with my kids have left me speechless.  The "I love yous" from my husband before he leaves for work have almost taken my breath away.

On Monday I was reminded of how quickly things can change in this life.  Simultaneously, I was provided a great opportunity to slow down and just be thankful.

I was the front seat passenger in this car, and I was able to walk away without any major injuries.





There's no reason for me not to be thankful!

It's been a slow and sore (S.O.R.E!) week (expected after getting hit by a truck), but I'm home and I'm alive.  Steve and the kids have been so loving and awesome.  They've been especially tolerant of all my extra kisses, too.  I'm feeling better each day, and people I love dearly have been angels on earth...praying, calling, texting, emailing, sending balloons, and bringing over pizza and cookies.  I smile every time I see the cheerful balloons, and I firmly believe that cookies = bliss.  It's always been so hard for me to put my pride and independence aside to accept help, but I'm so thankful for everyone who has been there for us. 

I've never been in a serious motor vehicle accident before, and I've also never been transported in an ambulance.  One can wonder how she might respond in such a situation, but there's no way to truly know until it's happening.  Everything happened so quickly, so there just wasn't time to process much right away, but God was there with me in an undeniable, calming way.

I texted this a couple of days later to a wonderful friend: 
Thru the whole thing, God was so present with me...almost palpable.  I never felt overwhelmed or out of control with my thoughts or emotions.  Only thing that's been overwhelming is how much I'm blessed.

God has been so protective and faithful, so I know he's going to keep carrying me along.  This adventure is not over yet, and I'm praying for patience while my body mends.  I so want to lace up my shoes and see how it feels to run!  But for now, I'll happily put my feet up and take in all the blessings that surround me...even bird poop.