A Few Random Happy Thoughts

My husband has been gone for the past week, and I miss him like crazy.  He'll be walking in the door any minute, and my heart is fluttering like when we were dating.  It's funny how I don't appreciate how much he does for us until he's gone.  I've got to change that.

Before I close my computer for the night, I want to write about some happy things that have been going on in our home these past few days.  I'm still trying to figure out what I want this blog to be, and I don't know if anyone out there needs to know what I'm thinking, but if nothing else, I want to record the fact that my life isn't always crazy, and I'm not always stressed out (because that's how things have seemed for me lately).

Happy Thought #1:  Ten-year-olds are wonderful.  Today my daughter Alia spent an hour in the bathroom helping two-year-old Spencer practice using the potty.  She helped him get settled, brought him several popsicles, set up the fan in the corner of the bathroom when it got stuffy, and even carried the laptop in there so he could watch Barney on Netflix.  He didn't have an ounce of success, but it did my heart good to see my oldest helping my youngest.

(And yes, Grace, Ethan and Spencer, you are all wonderful, too.  I'll record more of the great things you do on another post.)

Happy Thought #2:  I am lucky to have my mom.  I spent yesterday in Long Beach, sitting by the bay with my mother (who is now in her mid-70s), enjoying the sun, and watching my children float around on their boogie boards.  We chatted and laughed, I told her all the things that scare me right now, and she hugged me and reassured me that everything would be okay.  Later that night, I came across this quotation:

"A mother is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words"  -Unknown.

I cried when I read that because that's exactly how I feel about my mom.  Whenever I doubt myself or feel down about my progress in life, I talk to my mom, and she "sings the song of my heart."  I want to be that way for my own children.

Happy Thought #3: De-junking a house can make you feel like you live in a mansion.  We have a comfortable home--I don't want to seem ungrateful.  It's just that with six bodies in our current floor plan, I sometimes feel squished.  These past two weeks, my children have helped me de-junk our whole house.  We've emptied, sorted, and organized every drawer, cupboard, and closet, and we rearranged all our furniture (thanks to the tips Saren gave me when she was here visiting).  Without spending a dime, I feel like I got a bigger house.  Love it.  (The BEST book I've found for de-junking is "It's Here...Somewhere."  If you need motivation and "how-tos," that's the book for you.)

Happy Thought #4: Eric's home!  Gotta run.  I'm so excited!