Thankful Thursday and I'm glad I didn't miss that, all in one!

Asher and I were having a conversation about friends today in the car on the way to a play date with one of his preschool buddies.  I asked Asher who his best friend was - something I hadn't asked him in quite some time.  Not sure what he'd say since his first best friend - the little boy I used to take care of - moved away a year ago. 

Asher was quiet for a moment and then he said to me;

"Mama my best friend is Levi because he's my brother and I like him the most"

Melt my heart right there!  One of the benefits to staying at home with my boys, and something I hadn't realized before, is that they get to foster and nurture their brotherly relationship.  This is definitely not something they'd get as much of a chance to do together if they were in daycare because they would be in different age groups.  Although at times they seem to annoy each other more than they like each other, they also do have a lot of fun together with their own little silly games.  And now that I think about it, Asher chooses to pray for Levi every night when I ask him to pick one other person to pray for. 

I'm glad they get these early years to learn to get along and enjoy each other, and I hope that 20 years from now they are both saying the same thing; "my brother is my best friend!"

Thankful Thursday

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament.  Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thankful Thursday

Today I don't feel very thankful.  In fact, I feel rather discouraged in many areas of my life.  I have a few things that are weighing heavily on me, and several moments today were actually spent in tears because of it.

But it is days like today that I need to especially remember to be thankful; I know that much for sure.

I heard two very gut-wrenching stories this week about loss; one about a mother of a young baby and another about a newborn.  It makes me sick to even think that these things happen.  Babies shouldn't die.  Babies shouldn't grow up without their Mama's.  But both of these things happen.

Today I am thankful for life.  Thankful that my boys are alive and breathing and jumping and smiling and crying and sleeping and hugging and eating and playing and walking.

Today I am thankful for wet tears and wet diapers.

Today I am thankful for quiet time and time outs.

Today I am thankful for preschool and music class.

Today I am thankful for sticky hands to clean off after lunch.

Today I am thankful for little clothes to fold.

Today I am thankful for toys to clean up.

Today I am thankful for drooly kisses and runny noses.

Today I am thankful that my boys are just here.

Here at home, in my house, in my arms.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

... pistachio's.

... that several friends now come to Zumba class with me - makes it much more fun!

... coffee.

... Hey Tell (an iPhone app).

... a lady who, earlier this week at Costco, repeatedly commented on how cute my boys were and said they should be models.  I know I'm biased, so it was nice to hear this from someone else.

... that Levi got into Speech Therapy at the hospital so quickly, and is already making progress after just one-week of at-home exercises.

... Asher's music program and how fabulous he did at his recital on Saturday.

... sleeping through the night.

... my rubber boots.

... friends.

... our little "sister-wives" day care operation we've got going on over here.

... my iPhone.

... a phone chat with my Nanny.

... seeing Greg super excited about something (a geeky, techy thing).

... a hot shower, especially after working out.

... that I fit into size 6 bottoms.

... that my kids love spinach quiche.

... my painted green toenails.

... that my Mama is coming to put the boys to bed tomorrow night so Greg and I can have some us time.

... the Internet.

... how comfy my bed is.

... black out curtains.

... that my vegetable garden is in!  Bring on the lettuce, tomatoes, peas, green beans, cucumbers, peppers, and broccoli.

... Levi's 2 new words of the week; jump ("juh, juh" when he sees the trampoline and mimics a jumping motion, and "coh-coh" for cookie).

... how a couple of new plastic bins can entertain Asher for hours (he was pretending to be a garbage truck and kept filling the bins and bringing them to the dump).

... Mighty Machine's TV show.

... the smell of my boys hair after they've had a bath (and before they've had a chance to mess it all up again).

Thankful Thursday

Look what I received for Mother's Day this year!!!!!!  Need I say more...

Thankful Thursday

"You cannot find peace until you find all the pieces"

Marie Maiden

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...


... March Break, and a change in routine and activities.

... cuddling up on my couch with a good book.

... a last-minute visit with a friend.

... leftovers for supper.

... Greg coming home half an hour early from work the past 2 days.

... Asher's leap pad.

... a phone call with a friend far away.

... rice cakes (the crunch will do in a pinch when you've given up treats for Lent!)

... kleenex.

... putting little pig-tails in my hair.

... having all my laundry caught up on.

... Levi's sweet smile.

... Levi's mischievous smile.

... Asher's pucker mouth kisses.

... Asher saying "I love you Mama".

... watching old home videos with the boys before bed and being amazed at how small they were, and how small they are.

... friends, especially when they help a girl out.

... my morning coffee.

... laughing with Greg on the couch.

... the anticipation of spring coming.

... a kick-butt sale at The Children's Place.

... my new-to-me tights.

... my comfy bed.

Thankful Thursday

I'm a bit late with this one today, but technically it's still Thursday!

God blessed me in some very practical ways today...

I had to bring Levi to the emergency room at our hospital last night at 11:00 PM for some trouble he was having with a certain unmentionable body part.  It was very worrisome.  But in spite of that...


... Levi just had a pesky infection, and nothing that a little antibiotics won't clear up.

... speaking of that, Levi is 18-months old and just having his first round of anti-biotics right now.  Not too bad!

... Levi was totally happy and curious while we are at the hospital from 11:00 PM to 2:45 AM.  He didn't sleep a wink, but just cruised around, and explored (read: tried to get into everything).  Greg reminded me of how much of a blessing that was compared to the sick and crying babies in the waiting room.  So true.

... Levi slept until almost 10:00 AM this morning.

... Greg had some family time that he was able to use to take a few hours off this morning to get Asher up, ready, and off to preschool.

... Asher, Levi and I had an amazing nap this afternoon that took care of all of our grumpiness.

... my husband was so supportive and encouraging when I was feeling very discouraged in all of this.

... my boys are otherwise healthy little people.

... many of my friends saw my facebook status update and checked in with me today.  I was feeling the love.


So many reasons to be thankful, even though the situation was sucky.

Thankful Thursday

"The only way to live is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle."

Margaret Storm Jameson

Thankful Thursday

I'm sure some of you on facebook have seen these kind of images going around.  This one made me laugh this week, and who can't be thankful for a good laugh!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

... story time at the library - Asher loves it!

... sleeping through the night.

... an early Valentine's Day date night with Greg.  A nice dinner and skating together.

... talking to my husband without being interrupted or rushed.  I kinda like it!

... laughing.

... Zumba - so fun.

... my terrific friends who come and laugh and dance at Zumba with me.

... Michael's the craft store.

... red velvet cupcakes and coffee.

... my Keurig machine.

... grace and forgiveness.

... music.

... friends.

... nap time.

... hugs from my boys and reading books on the couch.

... hummus.

...  my mom.

... blow drying my hair.

... my magic bag.

... a prescription for massage therapy so I can get it covered under my medical plan, and a friend willing to watch my boys for me to go during the day.  Need to book that one!

... reading (although it's mostly online these days).

... some exciting opportunities coming up in my life.

Thankful Thursday - storm day edition

We had a winter storm here yesterday, which meant a full day at home with the boys, Asher being sick on top of that.  I was nervous about the day, but it turned out to be awesome for the following reasons:

... I discovered that I could sneak Asher's Advil into his apple juice without him noticing.  We had tried this before without success, but I decided to give it another attempt because getting the boy to take medicine is like getting Greg to buy an Apple product :)

... we stayed in our jammies all morning.

... I had a "break" reading on the couch this morning.  I say break because the boys kept bugging/interrupting me, but I just kept telling them that I was having a rest from my chores and responsibilities and eventually they kinda mostly left me alone... for 5 minutes... but it was a glorious 5 minutes.

... Asher and I worked on a bunch of fun pinterest crafts and learning activities.  He was really engaged for over an hour in this.

... Levi was easily occupied with random kitchen gadgets for a good chunk of this focused time with Asher.  (Let it be known that I tried to get him to paint with us, but all he wanted to do was eat the paint.  Again.)

... it was fun to watch Asher build his own train track and pretend play with it on and off throughout the morning.

... Greg came home early from work due to weather conditions (around 2PM) and picked up milk on the way home for me.

... I got some wicked awesome pinterest ideas that inspired me.

... I played some really good moves on Words with Friends.

... the boys had really good naps and slept later than usual.

... Asher and Greg played outside for well over an hour in the afternoon.

... I had lots of left overs in the fridge so I didn't have to cook supper.

... I baked, and ate, chocolate chip cookies.

... it was a good balance of free play, structured time, indoor fun, outdoor play, Mama time, and family time.  Not too many days are like that.

Yay for snow days!

Thankful Thursday

I don't have a daughter, but the spirit of this blog entry I read recently speaks to raising children in general, I feel.  And I can definitely relate to the mommy guilt aspect.  She's here every day with me too.

For all moms out there, for those who choose to stay at home, and for those who choose to work outside the home - take a minute and read this.  I think we all can relate.

Here's the link!

I'm so thankful that other people out there can articulate so well what I often feel inside.

Thankful Thursday

Being a mom is just plain hard, and sometimes you just need to know that you are not alone with all the crazy things you may think and feel on this journey.

This week I was thankful for a friend sharing this blog post on facebook.  I laughed and cried all in the same breath.  It's a bit long, but completely worth the read.

Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for joy in the simple things...

Thankful Thursday

I think I make it pretty well known that I love the beach.  It is the one place I feel the most calm, at peace, and connected to God's Spirit.  On facebook the other day I saw this article someone had linked of a dude who takes super magnified pictures of sand.  Check them out!










Isn't that amazing?  To know that sand is actually little pieces of whatever it broke off of - be that shell, crystal, or volcanic rock - each one unique.  It amazes me and is just another reason why I love the beach!  I'm so very thankful I live within driving distance, and already can't wait until next summer.

Thankful Thursday - Christmas 2011 edition

This Christmas season I have found myself thankful for...

... visits with lots of friends and family.

... my little family.

... sweet treats and wine.

... my new Keurig coffee maker - YUM!

... how excited Asher was over his new remote crane toy this year.

... my husband's amazing electrical engineering skills.  As we got afore-mentioned crane out of the box to set up on Christmas Eve, it wasn't working properly.  Since it was too late to return or exchange it, he set to work on rewiring the thing.  A few splices and soders and several hours later and we had a working crane!

... watching Asher and Greg play remote control cars together.

... a day off where Greg watched the boys all day and I went shopping with my Christmas money.

... boxing day sales and a new coat for $10!

... Christmas pj's.

... not having to cook Christmas dinner.

... Christmas brunch with my family.

... my favorite Indian restaurant for lunch.

... lots of laughs with my visiting friend.

... watching Asher and Greg play outside in the snow.

... Greg being on vacation.

... a really good workout after all the Christmas treats I've been eating.

... my high-fiving baby!

... the oodles of Christmas cards I've received - I love them!

... a date night with my husband.

... a break in our routine and a change in schedule.

... and especially the miracle of Jesus' birth.

... the many blessings He has given me.

... the hope of things made new.

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday I drove to Bangor with a friend to pick up another friend from the airport who flew home for the holidays.  It was a long day, and the road conditions were not great.  In spite of that, I find myself today reflecting on how thankful I am for...

... the great driving of my friend, who had the sense to take it slow when she needed to.

... studded winter tires.

... that people were praying for our safety, including my boys at home.

... that Greg took the day off so I could have a fun road trip.

... that things went good at home with Greg and the boys; everyone did what they were supposed to do, basically when they were supposed to do it with no major hiccups.

... girl time to chat and laugh, and have fun, and be serious, and catch up all at the same time.

... a bit of time for browsing in Bangor.

... a big hug from my friend Erin who is home for Christmas.

... Erin being home!  Yay!

... yummy snacks in the car.

... that inspite of only having 4 hours sleep, I still woke up excited to see my babies.

... Second Cup coffee :)

Thankful Thursday

So thankful for the 2 little boys in my life...

Thankful Thursday - Asher's split lip edition

Tuesday when we were at the library, Asher fell and cut his lip up pretty bad.  He was quite upset and it was a bit of a drama scene.  It was a very stressful evening for our family, especially because Asher wouldn't drink or eat anything for the rest of the day, and for some of the morning after.  In times like these - when things aren't going the way I'd like - I find it's super important for me to remember the blessings amidst the chaos.  I'm counting my blessings, because there are many.

... the librarians who were so helpful to me.  I had about 3 or 4 of them running around, getting first aid kids, napkins to catch blood, entertaining Levi, calling my husband; the situation was definitely aided by their help.  I'm so thankful for the support of complete strangers in times of need like this.

... the fact that my husband was only a floor away and came down running as soon as the librarian called him.

... the wonderful nurse and doctor at the ER who didn't mind Asher's drama and took us in right away to be seen.  Thankfully we were in and out in 10 minutes once the doctor saw Asher's lip and said didn't need a stitch.

... Word World, Asher's new favorite show.  It's super educational and also really helps to lift his spirits and distract him in moments of need.

... that Asher slept through the night despite not eating or drinking for the better part of that day (the "incident" happened at around 3:30 in the afternoon).

... that my mom still lets me whine and cry when I'm feeling overwhelmed, even when the situation is not really that bad.  Even though I'm a big girl, I still want to talk to my mom when I'm upset.

... straws.  It's the only way that I could get Asher to finally drink yesterday.

... Greg's perspective.  I was feeling really shaken up and overwhelmed and Greg was so gracious about reminding me that in the big picture, Asher's ok, and we are ok.  And it's true - a cut lip is nothing!

... the amazing ability our bodies have to heal our wounds.  Asher's lip yesterday morning was looking tons better than it had the night before, and it just continues to improve.

... that I have the flexibility to take all the time needed to nurse Asher's wound, and his spirit, and to help him develop some coping mechanisms.  So glad I am home with him.


Here are some pictures of Asher's lip from yesterday morning, about 18 hours after he split it.

 

My boy is healthy, and it could have been a lot worse.  What more could I ask for?