Thursday, July 30, 2009

52 Blessings ~ Week #27

1 ~ Knowledge.
More specifically, spiritual knowledge. Knowledge of our divine purpose and worth. Here's the explanation: Bella was having a rough little moment this afternoon. She was wearing a pair of Kole's little pants around as shorts (she was so cute!), and I was lovingly teasing her about being so skinny. She took it wrong, and that sent her into this moment of comparing herself to her sister and feeling bad about her body. I made the mistake then of telling her that she was just absolutely beautiful and perfect. Well, she didn't take that well. So I revamped and said something about how nobody on this earth is perfect and that that's why we're here. We're here to be challenged and learn lessons, etc. We discussed how the Lord created each of us unique, and that no two people on this earth are exactly the same, even twins. Now, we've talked before about our bodies being gifts, and the body is a temple, etc. But, here came this moment of inspiration. I said to her: "Bella, your body is a gift, but it also has a special job. It's a home for your little spirit that lives inside. (Her eyes lit up at that point). Our Father in Heaven did not give us our bodies to look pretty or to be just like someone else's. He gave us our bodies to house our spirits, to move and play and run and jump." We went on to talk about how well her body accomplishes these tasks, and that it really does work quite well for her. There were tears in my eyes at this point, because I was so thankful for the comfort I was able to give my daughter, and for the peace that this conversation brought me, a reminder to myself of all those things. (With more than a few extra pounds the last two babies have left me with, sometimes it's easy to not appreciate my own body for it's true worth and purpose). I am thankful for my body, and more importantly, thankful that I am a daughter of God, and for the peace that knowledge brings me. I am thankful that I can help to instill that same peaceful knowledge in my two beautiful daughters.

2 ~ Fun and Functional Clothes
I know, frivolous, right. But clothes are somewhat of a hobby for me, and I actually think they are a way of expressing one's individuality. It probably comes from wearing a uniform to school almost my whole life. Anyway, this week, 3 lovely little pieces have come into my life. First, this cutie pie was gifted to me by a dear friend:
It's an apron, in case you can't tell. I would have modeled it, but no one else is awake to take my picture. :(
Of course, many of you know the talented Tanya, but for those who don't, see her homemade bags and aprons at Luscious Lemon on Etsy. I love to cook, and the pattern reminds me of a dress I had when I was somewhere near 4 years old. Every time I wear it (which has been and will be often), I feel happy, sort of Donna Reed-ish, and will think of this lovely friend. By the way, Donna Reed is my way of describing that happy, content, accomplished homemaker feeling I get when I feel like I've done a good job at some domestic duty. :)

Next, (the same day!), this tankini and board short arrived in the mail (because I paid way too much to have it shipped overnight from Athleta).

We've been going boating with my aunt and uncle at Blacktail lately, and I decided I needed a swimsuit that wouldn't fall off of me in the water, and would look cute, age-appropriate, modest, and flattering (I know, swimwear does not perform miracles). It would also need to hold "the girls" in place. Imagine my delight when this arrived on Monday, not 15 minutes before we were to leave for another afternoon on the lake. And then to have it fit right and meet my criteria! Bonus, the top was on sale, and both pieces are of excellent quality! I will never buy another swimsuit anywhere else. Athleta rocks!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Grateful

A lot of times I blog about negative things. Things that irritate me, days that I feel like screaming or drowning myself, or important decisions that need to be made or have been made. Not because I am an inherently grouchy person, but because writing helps me work things out! But, I often THINK about things I am grateful for. I just don't often write about them because they give me peace, not that desperate crazy helpless feeling I get from those argh! moments.

My friend Ashley does this 52 Blessings thing on her blog. Basically, once a week (for a year, hence the 52), you post about something you are thankful for. Here's a link to the 52 Blessings Project on Flickr. I noticed on her blog that last week was week #26, and I thought that sounded like a good time to start counting my blessings! Since we are officially halfway through the year, I plan to start posting my blessings from now on, 2 a week.

52 Blessings ~ Week #27

1. My Children ~ I am not a woman of great patience, so there are many times when I am NOT thankful for my children's BEHAVIOR. But, I am always thankful for these 4 little people who grace me with their presence in my life every day! I am grateful for their companionship, their unconditional love, their creativity, their compassion, their energy, and their patience! I am grateful that they seem to find the fun in everything that they do. I am grateful that they are smart, healthy, happy, and filled with love.

2. My Backyard ~ It is big and somewhat plain, and I love it! It has plenty of room for the trampoline, kiddy pool, sprinklers, and whatever other adventures the kids dream up. Today they are running a stuffed animal hospital out of a princess tent in a little corner of shade. So fun! My favorite time is when the grass is freshly cut and the garden freshly weeded, like it is today (thanks to Shawn, sorry for the sore back)!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Hmm....

I think my mid-summer melancholy has set in. It's not really a bad thing, just a thing. Baseball is almost over, and we seem to have settled in to our lazy mornings, long evenings routine. I always feel sort of quiet and peaceful this time of year. It's a happy melancholy. Time could freeze right now and I would be completely fine and content.

In other news, it looks like I will be going back to work part-time in the fall. It's a good thing because that extra income will provide a much-needed financial cushion. I've never been very good at holding tight the pursestrings, and even though Shawn would never admit it, neither is he. So the cushion will be nice. I'll be doing something I love - either teaching or helping to coordinate developmental therapy programs for preschoolers (not sure yet whether I will go back to the school district, or work for a private agency, some decisions might be headed my way). In some ways I'm looking forward to it, and in other ways I'm sad. The boys won't have to go to daycare (which is the only way I would do this!), as Shawn can be home with them for a couple of days a week. I just hope that enough things have changed in our family over the past year that it won't be crazy stressful for me like it was before. I have become so accustomed to the peace I have cultivated as a stay-at-home mom. On a side note, I always wondered if I had fewer challenges with my children when I was working because the Lord knew that I could only handle so much. The answer to that is yes! My children have been much more challenging since I quit working last summer! Maybe they will become angels again if I go back to work. :) It's a big decision, and I wish that we had unlimited resources (read: lots of money!) so that I didn't have this choice to make! And yet, I've always sort of felt that a big part of my life's challenges would be to balance home and career. Oh, but that's another topic for another post.

Has anyone ever been to the farmer's market here in town? I've never been, but the kids and I wanted to check it out in the morning. Should be a fun day in the sun, anyway. Enjoy your beautiful warm weekend!