My helper

Pain is not fun.  I never really thought about how I would handle pain when I grew old.  I am not old but daily I battle continual nagging pain.  It usually isn’t enough to reach for the aleve but some days I should reach for it instead of just gutting it out.  Thankfully my family knows the signs.  Each of them has a way of helping.  The littles just ask for hugs a lot & those help.  But more and more my oldest daughter, Elizabeth, has been stepping in to the role of my helper.

At 14 she could be the whiner.  She could give me the eye roll & sarcastic responses.  Mostly though she just says “Go sit down.  I will do this”  She’s blunt and bosses me around but I think that I know where she gets that.  There is a soft heart hidden under that gruff exterior. 

So yesterday when I came home from an afternoon of errands(which she let me run alone while she watched her younger brother & sister) & I needed to just sit.  When I asked her to put away the groceries she did it alone with out complaining.  I know this is unusual.  I am SO thankful for my helper who isn’t so little anymore.

Daddy moments

When daddy is home there are more sillies, singing & dancing in the kitchen. 

I always say that Steve relates well to the the 12 year olds in our lives because mentally he is still there.  That is not true but he really does bring out the crazy fun in everyone.  I am pretty sure that anyone who has been around him has noticed his zany sense of humor.

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There is a special relationship between Daddy’s and children.

He comforts.

Provides challenges.

Guides.

And teaches new things.

The Daddy at our house loves his kids & wants to spend time with them. 

I am so thankful that he considers that a priority and we get to spend that time with him.

Busy Days

Early get up.  Exercises.  Bible time with the kids.

Do school with Joshua.

 

Defrost steak(arg.) & make Swiss Steak in the crockpot. 

Listen to Megan quote her verses. 

Encourage her to keep studying when she wants to give up. 

Eat a lunch which Elizabeth lovingly made for us.  Print coupons. 

Throw a snack together.  Make sure everyone has their books & clogging shoes. 

Fly out the door.

Piano lessons.

 

Sit, cut & sort coupons.  Write checks.

Go to mother-in-laws.  Return jars & pick up juice.

Go to the bank.  Get a SODA(first in a week!)

Drive home—turn crockpot down to low.

Drive to clogging.  Listen to LOUD stomping & music!

Sit & play with a cute niece or two.

Head home & do more studying with the girls.

Snarf supper(thank God for my crockpot).

Go to quiz practice & herd 30ish teens around.

Home.  Put apple butter in to jars. Bed.

Twice a month we have a REALLY long day of errands & lessons.  I am so thankful that I am able to be home to take my kids to the lessons for interests that they are pursuing.  It is tiring but I am glad I have the time, money & energy to get these days done.  In between all the work there is laughter, lessons & fun along the way.

Just Joshua

It seems silly to say I am thankful for my children.  Of course I am thankful for them.  But I need to say it about Joshua.  Some days I have to list why I am thankful for him in my head.  He drives me crazy.  A lot.  So here goes

I am thankful for his imagination.  I never know what is going on in his head.  Today he asked me what ignite was(although he knows).  Then he looked it up by himself in the dictionary just to prove that I wasn’t quite right.



I am thankful he is brave.

He loves to find a new cool bug, animal, or toad.

And pick it up. And show it up close to me.





I love that he is smart.

He buzzes through his school work so fast that I have a hard time keeping up with him.




I am thankful that he loves to play.

It keeps him busy after school is done.




I am thankful that he knows no strangers.

He will make lots of friends and lead them many places in life.

I am thankful that he tells me EVERYTHING.  I could be wondering instead.

But most of all I love & I am thankful for Joshua’s faces.

He is just Joshua.