Perfect Days (more or less)

You have so many perfect days, he said and she smiled and said, it's a lot easier when you expect them to be perfect, no matter how they go.  ~ Story People

Coming off the most extraordinary ordinary weekend in as long as I can remember, I feel it's time to get back to it here on our blog.  This year's "book" is going to be a quick read at the rate it's going :)  It won't be for lack of living, enjoying blessings, facing challenges - no, there's been no shortage in any of that.

At any rate, extraordinary ordinary :) the collective fave...no pics today - just mental notes from the weekend  :)

Friday night candle light with my darlin'...waking up AT HOME on Saturday (missin' nana's kitchen, but happy to be home)...bein' outside with the babies (as much as possible)...bushes trimmed, fresh mulch spread - curb appeal gratification (awesome)...grillin' out...all but deddy, not having to leave the house at all...BACON for breakfast, Sat/Sun (mama's favorite)...lots of babies under foot...lots of time just getting down on the floor with them...cars washed (slight amazement at that)...lots of coloring...lots of time in each other's presence - arms reach is the best (sigh)

So, that's sorta the weekend in a nutshell or maybe I should say acorn shell since there's a bajillion of those to be found currently in our yard (yes, at last count it was a bajillion - probably more by now).

Life's been full of late - mostly good full, but full nonetheless means lots of sponge filling - not much "wringing out" sometimes.  If I stop & "wring" this morning, some blessings I'd count...

John & Mama ~ our days home together...

Most weeks John's with me on Tuesdays & Thursdays...I love these days.  I love our breakfast/lunch outings, I love having a shopping companion.  I love the conversations we have, the snuggles we share - he's a pretty awesome lil' buddy :)

The babies (collectively)...

Seth has said many a days that when he goes to pick them up from school, they're standing together in the gym holding hands.  Sometimes he just pauses to watch them till one of the other kids hollers out, announcing his presence :).  Their lil' connection, the affection they give one another, the loving habits so present - I can't describe how big my heart smile is at that.  Frick & Frack they are - the pride we look on with, yep, just so heartwarming.

Sassafrass, Lucy, Ella Bella, Stinker, Darlin' ~ the moment dictates name used :)

Whatever she is, she's now 2 and we are still shaking our heads at how we got to 2.  She went from a pudgy lil' beam of sunshine to a "I jump high", "I do dat", "No, mommy's turn", "I go outside", "I color", "thank you God for Nana, Pappaw, food" (nightly prayers - I'll come back to this), "I eat cereal", "I EAT CEREAL" (in case you missed her the 1st time she shouted), "I wear purple pants" (favorite color), "Night night - I love you - sweet dreams", "I go to Ganny's",  "I want (insert anything)", I WANT (again, with the shouting - apparently she thinks we have impaired hearing) , "I get dressed in Bubba's room", "I 'piderman" (Spiderman), "No chocolate milk" (sing-song, meaning - gimme some chocolate milk), "I want 'prinkles" (sprinkles), "I not go night night" (one she never wins)...and on and on and on...still a sunshine, but a highly vocal/demanding one :)

She sings too :)  I have to get his recorded - she's flat & tuneless (just like her deddy) but oh your heart almost falls out right there on the floor to have her sing a long with you there in the dark before bedtime.  She sings blessings too at suppertime.  Our lil' songbird - you will never not know she's in the room :)

Buddy, Bubba, John, Captain America, Poot-a-Pottamus ~ again, moment dictating endearing reference :)

He's something else.  He's the calm if Ella's the storm :)  Except when he's being Spiderman, Captain America or A1 Sauce (yes, we thought it was funny to do condiment super-heroes one night for our amusement and it stuck) - if he's assuming any of these characters he's leaping, rolling, jumping, kung-fuing, always two moves away from being told, "YOU CANNOT DO THAT IN THE HOUSE!" (that's us likely shouting - maybe we're all hard of hearing).  Just found out he got an evaluation from school and he's right on track with all things age appropriate - enormous, ENORMOUS blessings counted in that!  He went on his 1st field trip recently & I only emailed the teacher twice prior to - yes, I was kinda that mom but it was firstborn/first field trip - I don't think it will be a pattern :)  He has another one on the calendar to Disney on Ice - yes, I will volunteer/help supervise for that one...for the kids, not my love of all things Disney :)  And (puffing my chest out a lil') also, we got info on the Christmas program for this year & our lil' buddy has a speaking part!  Yep, yep - we will likely begin practicing this week or next :)

Night Time Prayers ~

These take place on the floor of bubba's room, all of us sitting in a circle holding hands (very Kumbaya-ish). Once Ella's put her pappy in her lap, she usually begins her "Thank you God for..."  We understand most of what she says, but she doesn't understand turns (or chooses ignore the concept - likely the latter) and will continue talking through everyone else's laundry list of thank you God's :)  John's have gotten wonderful - he thanks God for the day, for family, for good food, for whatever else is on his little heart (insert proud sigh).  At the end, we close, saying together "Now I lay me down...".  This nightly ritual has become a pretty awesome end to the day :)  There's a fair amounting of wiggling & giggling but it's a good family moment of thankfulness and togetherness that we're counting the blessing of (sigh).

Big people of the house :)

We're doing good.  I kind of have to pause and smirk a little there.  We're doing really good - it just feels like this year has been a non-stop whirlwind on so many levels that we have become very mindful of stopping and reminding ourselves how good we're doing :)  Counting the blessing of each other that we're both good at stepping up when needed to jostle the other to remind them of this :)

(insert groan) For sale sign still up in front yard almost 40 showings later (that #, not exaggerated, sadly).  Had a few "come to Jesus" conversations/moments with this over the last months.  The latest is trying earnestly to hand that trust back to Him and take it out of our periphery.  Heart of hearts is telling us that this is not the "season" of life for this change and when the contract's up in November, we'll take a collective breath and maybe revisit after the new year.  The solace I'm taking in all of it, from a book I'm reading, "...if this is where God asks me to be, this is where I'll be.  And I will choose joy in this place."  Marinating in that - replaying often in my head.  Goes back to the heart of Jeremiah 29:11 - He knows the plans & they include "future" and "hope" - His will, not ours (rinse and repeat).

So, all that being said - life's good :)  Lots of "best life" moments being shared and blessings being counted.  These are "perfect days"(more or less) because we get to live them together, enjoying watching these babies thrive & delight and even the "less than" moments are fleeting - taken with a grain of perspective salt :)

I hope to be back next week, the one after that & so on - goal of 1entry/week for duration of 2012 - how 'bout them apples :)

Hope everyone's fall's off to a good start ~ have a blessed week!