My blessed weekend

Aaahhh! Can you hear my deep breath? Life feels so good at the moment. I'm sitting in our back yard, on freshly mowed grass while Eli practices his baseball swing and Noah is building something in the sand box. The weather is gorgeous Spring weather and my husband is busy doing yard stuff. Ah, what a great weekend.

Yesterday while Jonny was gone at Driver's Ed training, the boys and I were very productive. We checked out a few garage sales in our neighborhood, and for $30 I got a nice 4T vest, brand new pair of 3T jeans, a package of Swaddlers Infant diapers, and about 10 nice 6-9 mo. baby outfits for the baby (so needed). Then Noah and I shoveled the rest of the left-over sand in our driveway while Eli rode his bike. (Yes, this crazy 8mo. prego lady was shoveling sand... just a couple wheel barrows full.) We went inside, and I cleaned out our nasty microwave, did some laundry, and cleaned the kitchen floor. Then in the afternoon, Noah and I vacuumed out the van while Eli, again, rode his bike. Right before we went inside the boys got to help Nona, our neighbor, water her flowers with their own watering cans. It was pretty exciting- let me tell you. But then Noah began to have more fun putting his head under the spicket than is watering can. :)

And today. Oh, my gosh. God is so sweet to me. Today is just one of those days that is easy to be joyful and happy... you know, in contrast to those days where you scratch your head and ask God, now where is the good in this? First off, this is Jonny's last weekend (at least for awhile) of Driver's Ed training. Yesterday they finished early, so he didn't have to drive up again today! We got to go to church together as a family which hasn't happened in awhile! Jonny I didn't get to go to service together, but that's okay because Noah is needing us lately and today I was so blessed to be with him. He did great! I was so proud of him!!! I don't want to get my hopes up and think that he's totally over being rough- I don't think he is- BUT today I saw a glimpse of hope that he can and will chill out and be kind to other kids. Oh my gosh, for a mommy, that is wonderful news! He shared, he waited his turn, he didn't retaliate when others were unkind to him and he spoke nicely! Yay for Noah! He's learning the ropes of interpersonal relationships. :) In the past, if a kid came over to where he was playing, he seemed to feel threatened that that kid was going to take what he was playing with or hog the slide or whatever (hmm... wonder where he gets that idea.... ELI!) so he would shout NO! or GO! even if another kid was just standing next to him doing nothing. Instead of saying NO or GO I've been encouraging him to say hi, and today he kept poking his cute little white head out of the play structure to say "Hello!" to kids. He even asked one girl, who fell down, "You Otay?" Oh, yay! Seriously, I know this sounds so silly, but my heart lept for joy to see my little almost two year old son being kind and compassionate. :)

So yes, today was a great day at church. Children's ministry can be exhausting and tough sometimes, but I really do like it. I like to get to know who my boys are playing with and becoming friends with, I like to meet the families (and really- Children's Ministry is one of the best ways to get to know families) and of course I like to see how my kids are doing. Noah and I snuck over and watched "Bubba" through the three year old classroom for a little bit, too. Man, we are so blessed at our church to have such awesome people working in Children's Ministry! I love the helpers in Eli's class. I love hearing him talk about what he learned. And I love watching him worship when he doesn't know I'm watching.


.... oh, and f.y.i... girls are so much harder to take to the potty than boys! Sheesh! There are so many more steps to the process. There are dresses over bloomers over onsies over tights over undies and then sitting down etc.. I'm loving the pants down- ready, aim, fire technique we've got going with boys. :)