It’s easy enough to think of what I could complain about, why not pause and think about the good and the joy in our lives?

Today – and reflecting on the past week(s) – I’m thankful for:

• Family bike rides to ‘secret parks’. (Funny story: On our way home through the neighborhood, one family out in their driveway stopped to watch us go by and counted how many we were and exclaimed to each other – “Hey look, it’s a family of 6! A family of 6!” As if we were some endangered species or something…)

• A wonderful birthday – God is good and has blessed me abundantly throughout these 31 years. I’m thankful for all my family and friends who made it a special day for me. Thank you! (Especially the Tres Leches Cake my mom made for me!)

• Finally fixing and repainting our little garage entry-way room! (After 5 shameful years)

• That I finally got off my lazy chair, away from the computer, or my Kindle, or my phone, and MOPPED the kitchen & family room floors (and vacuumed the other rooms’ carpets)! You know it’s time to mop your floors when your baby’s knees and feet turn black after crawling around on them. (more shamefulness…)

• A husband who is SUPER great at cleaning windows – it’s amazing how much cleaner he makes them. Not to mention how great of a daddy he is.

• And a husband who goes out of his way to research and buy me practical birthday gifts. 🙂

• The good…er…better…times with the three-year-old – reading books together at the library and at home; spotting ant hills, caterpillars, butterflies, etc on a stroll through the park; doing ‘preschool’ with him and some other friends once a week; watching him use his own imagination; watching him and the baby play (uninterrupted) together; mopping the floors together (he helped spray the water and I mopped..yes it took longer this way but oh well, he enjoyed being helpful and it kept him out of trouble.

• The 6 year-old still loves school and is doing well with the after-school homework for the most part. I love how excited he gets about the smallest things. He helped decorate for my birthday party by making several stencil art decorations. I also love how excited he gets to help me cook and to eat what I cook. Almost every time at dinner he says, “Mama, I LOOOVVVEEE your food you make us!” A boy after my own heart. 🙂

• The baby/one-year-old – not a day goes by I’m not thankful he came along. I know to some, 4 kids sounds like a lot, but I can’t imagine life without him. I love his snuggly hugs, his shy smiles, the way he points and waves and tries to clap, his contagious laugh…He’s just great. I’m also thankful that he still nurses – gives me a good excuse to sit down and rest a bit throughout the day.

• The 9 year-old girl – so thankful for my girl! She also helped decorate and prepare the dinner/dessert for my birthday and made me a huge “Happy Birthday” poster. This evening a friend/neighbor asked her to go on a bike ride around the neighborhood and I was tired/busy but didn’t want to say no – she’s a likeable girl but it seems that she doesn’t get a whole lot of personal invites (outside of the group birthday parties) so I didn’t want to miss this chance for her. I rode around with them (from a distance) since we haven’t let her go around the neighborhood solo yet. It was fun watching her…though also a little bittersweet to see her growing up so fast. I could tell it brought her a lot of joy which, in turn, filled my heart with joy for her. 

• Good friends who support each other literally and spiritually. It’s a beautiful thing when you can sit down together with close friends and share your personal prayer intentions, shed a few tears, laugh a little, and then go home feeling comforted and strengthened to continue pushing on.

Hoping everyone’s days are filled with many blessings and thanksgivings!

Like it? Share it!