Giving Thanks

Hmmm. Beautiful rainy day outside. Not too frigid but certainly cold enough to make one wish to stay indoors with a good book and a a warm quilt. Don't forget the hot chocolate. On Sundays the TV and radio stay off. Music is usually classical or from our own instruments. Once in a while we'll invite people over for dinner but mostly it's a day just for family and church. 

After reading many books together the little ones are now all piled on daddy. Sort of a low key wrestling match but it seems they are all enjoying it. I really, really, love taking a day off to slow down once a week. No errands or shopping, no running here and there.

This week has been absolutely lovely. No lessons or sports or activities to run around to. No homework to hound. Visiting family and lots of great food and time together. Maybe I appreciate the peace and simplicity more than ever this year in contrast to the pressure of my every day life and events.

Time to Breathe

I look back on my earlier life and often wonder how I could have ever thought I was busy. I was stressed out and overwhelmed with two toddlers. Now I have two toddlers at home, plus two talented teenagers and a sports nut boy who all want to go places and do things but can't drive themselves there. 

I have a career that is part-time if you average it out but in reality it's more like these overwhelming crunches of time just before a trip then back to almost nothing. Or it would be if things weren't going as wonderfully well as they are. It seems I've always got a deadline waiting for me as soon as I finish something up.

I used to whine about my husband working long hours when I needed help with the kids. Now his job has an exponentially greater amount of responsibility involved. He still works long hours. Plus he and I both have church responsibilities that take up a good 6-8 hours every week.

When do we take time to breathe!?! 

We make time. Today we made time. We climbed trees. We rolled in leaves. We ate junk food.

We let go of things that aren't important. Like matching socks. We remember what's important.