A Day for Dynamite

Today we had a get-together for Dynamite's third birthday. And it rained--hard. I felt like Richard Dreyfus in "What About Bob" as he's staring out the window at the torrential downpour saying, "I think it's going to let up".
We had a wonderful day, regardless. The kids were filled with delight that they were allowed to play in the rain. They were absolutely joyful which made my heart swell.

And so the list continues...

49. Pancakes
50. Breathing slowly
51. A quiet house
52. A mom who cares
53. Helping hands
54. Messages on my answering machine that make me smile
55. Time to shower
56. Dad and his lovely wife who surprise me
57. Children squealing with delight
58. Little feet jumping in puddles
59. Reminiscing
60. Back rub from birthday boy
61. Sister carrying her brother
62. Summer rain
63. Four brothers riding bikes down the street
64. Kids playing happily in the rain

Tonight, my heart is full.

Just a quickie

39. Little boy voice singing Snoopy and the Red Baron.
40. Kids laughing.
41. The cloud lifting.
42. Neighbors coming to visit.
43. An afternoon nap.
44. The way my daughter walks with her head held high, full of confidence.
45. Sitting outside reading a book while the kids draw with sidewalk chalk.
46. Neighbors who buy popsicles for my kids just because they're good people.
47. Kids doing cheers with popsicles.
48. Time for bed.

Does the check-out girl really have to take time to scratch herself?

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

I went to the store today to do "big grocery shopping" for the first time since Ralphie was born. I could barely fit everything in to the cart! I said to dh, "Remember when we lived in the apartment and we'd buy a half gallon of milk and it would go bad?". Yeah, those days are long gone.
I knew I had about two and a half hours to get to the store, do my shopping and get home before Ralphie needed to be fed again. (Thankfully, my mother-in-law had the other three!). I was speeding through the store like those people you see who are told they just won a shopping spree for whatever they can fit in their cart in five minutes (I know that's an excessively long sentence).
As I got to the checkout, Ralphie opened his eyes and I thought, "Dear God, we've got to move fast". The lady at the checkout was moving slowly and as I watched her slowly scan, then stop to scratch her nose, I caught myself thinking, "Don't scratch, just keep bagging, sister!!".
And then my gratitude list came to mind...
Ahhhh, it is so easy to express gratitude when things are going my way. I very mechanically forced myself to think about her and what her day must be like. I forced myself to thank God that she was probably moving as fast...as...she...probably...could. Yes, mechanical and forced, it is true. But my hope is that the more I do it, the more it will shape me in to more of the person I desire to be. I'm a mutterer, a griper, a wish-I-wasn't-doing-this-right-now-er.
Thanks for going with me on this journey to delighting in all of the wonderful things that are there for the taking--we just need to open our eyes to them!

25. Stationary from Target.
26. Food in the fridge.
27. Lady at the deli who is on her feet all day long.
28. The voice inside that says, "You better go see what they're doing".
29. Sleeping baby at grocery store.
30. Help with the kids.
31. Sweet baby boy asleep in his swing.
32. The ability to take care of my family.
33. Clean folded laundry in drawers.
34. Empty sink.
35. Honesty in others--truth about shortcomings. I, too, am so very human.
36. The beginnings of potty training.
37. Answered prayer.
38. Building train sets.

A few of my favorite things...

A few of the things I'm thankful for today...

9. Airplane tacked to my corkboard that he was so proud of.

10. Golden sunshine streaming in from the window and on to my wall.

11. Coffee with husband before the kids wake up.

12. Cindy-lou Who's picture of her and a friend dancing.

13. Little boy voice at the bottom of the stairs.

14. Toys, toys everywhere.

15. Clean water running cold from my faucet.

16. So kissable baby cheeks against my lips.

17. Gravel under my bare feet.

18. 3-year old cherry-stained mouth.

19. Playtime in bubble bath.

20. Cool rain on shoulders.
21. The binding up of wounds.

22. Sleep smiles.

23. Blue fuzzy slippers soft on my feet.

24. Collecting acorns in a pretty blue bucket.

The Art of Giving Thanks

I sat outside picking weeds this morning with baby Ralphie next to me in his bouncy seat. Dynamite was immersed in blowing bubbles, Cindy-Lou Who was playing in the backyard and Super-boy sat inside listening to an old Smoky Robinson record (yes, record!).

My 94-year old neighbor hobbled over on the other side of the fence to see how we all were doing. "Hanging in there," I said, "Still adjusting...feels good to be outside, how are you?"
"I'm really down in the dumps today and I can't figure out why".
"I hate those days," I replied, "It feels like a cloud settled around you and you can't get out from under it".
"Ahhh", she half-smiled, "You're learning about that young".

Yes, I know those clouds more than I like to admit. Sometimes it is so hard to get out of that "funk" as I call it. I picked up my Bible the other morning and was reading Psalm 103, "Praise the Lord...who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion". That pit is a dark place. There are days I feel emotionally that I've got dirt caked under my fingernails from clawing my way out of that pit.

That being said, I am reading a wonderfully transforming book called, "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. It is about, quite simply, giving thanks. Yes, pure gratitude. Why is it so hard for us to see the many blessings that are poured upon us daily? And so, I am diving in to count my way up to one thousand gifts. I will venture to post things I'm thankful for daily, even if I post nothing else.

Here is a blog of which I want to spend WAY more time by the author of this book: http://www.aholyexperience.com/category/1000gifts/

You will be blessed by it! And if you have the time or the desire, get this book!

And so begins my count to one thousand:

1. 3 1/2 week old sweet baby boy asleep in his swing.
2. A quiet house with only piano music playing softly.
3. Pulling weeds and getting my hands dirty.
4. Dear friends who bring me yellow daisies.
5. A husband who works so hard to meet the needs of so many little people (and me!).
6. Sunlight cast on the street.
7. Rubberband arms.
8. Sweet smell of candle burning.