Saturday Reflections

After a morning enjoyed - a rare quiet coffee visit on the couch with Ian, phone visit with a birthday sister, a walk by the tennis courts to watch Daddy play, on to the farmers market for honey and a kids choice treat (marshmallow squares, of course), being joined by Daddy there for delicious beef on a bun for easy, no clean lunch (yay!) - I am now home alone.  Well, I shouldn't forget sleeping Neve upstairs.  I feel quite alone.  Ian is off picking chokecherries with kids and their friend Ben.  And wow, were they all excited about it! I am ready to tackle my disaster of a craft room so that I can manage to get near my sewing machine to try fix up some diapers for Neve.  But, the quietness made me want to pause and load up my pictures from the week.  And, I found so many favorites.  And, I smiled because it was a good week.  I love to share it here because I don't want to forget all the good things.

Kellen came up with this project.  Had me pick up the paint he wanted.  He gathered some leaves.  He asked for the biggest paper.  He wanted it as tall as him.  I wasn't getting it at first.  Why do you need the paper to be as tall as you?  Oh, he is trying to get his camouflage ready to go hunting.  I should have known.  I haven't been asked since the making of the paper, to tape his "outfit" together.  Whew.  The making of the paper really was so much fun, and so pretty.

Kellen is often not interested in doing kids crafts that I would chose.  But, if I let him have the ideas, he can stay focussed long enough to finish projects.  The robot is his usual request.  This time, he was extremely happy with the supplies I gathered for him.  Success!  I hope I can get Lanelle interested in some different types of crafts.  I'm gathering ideas for when Kellen soon will be gone to Kindergarten.  Without him shutting down the ideas (which aren't robots, guns or dinosaurs), I think I can expand her interests!

Some might think I need to expand my interests past knitting more often.  But really, when there are so many cute things to be made and such beautiful kids to model them!  I really like Lanelle's butterfly hat!  I'm so happy I tried something new - working with 2 colors and following a chart.  Wasn't really that difficult!

I was able to go bike riding with just the girls.  So relaxing to not have to worry about where Kellen was.  The girls were so happy riding quietly in the Chariot.  A little treat that was much enjoyed by me!

Lanelle loved the path that I took her on and begged for us to take Kellen the next day.  I hadn't gone so far with him before, or taken him on gravel.  But, he did wonderfully and we made it out to a park we rarely play at.  Fun to have a "new" adventure spot.

The kids came in from playing outside one morning saying they had a surprise for me, but they needed a flower "pot".  When I gave it to Kellen and said I was excited to see the flowers they had picked for me.  He was very suprised.  "How did you know the surprise was flowers??" Hee,hee!  I wouldn't have thought to pop the tops off the marigolds and float them in water, but they look really cool and have lasted well.

 These pictures were my extra special gift of the week.  I was reading Ann Voskamp (again).  I just like picking up her book and randomly reading, because I forget so easily what I have learned from her.  So, I read about eucharisteo and taking the time to name the gifts.  Finding the gratitude in my life that can change everything.  To find the joy in the little moments that will lead me to an "emptier, fuller life."

She wrote about how her camera can be the way to receive the moment with thanks.  She was taking pictures of cheese.  Then, Neve on my lap was crying and I got up to change her diaper.  This was the shadow I saw on the wall.  I knew it was the moment for me to stop and give thanks for her and for being her mama.  Even when I didn't want to change a diaper.  I don't have words like Ann to describe the moment.  All I can seem to come up with is, It was the perfect moment full of thanks.