I FORGOT

Ah man - I was so enjoying the little things that matter that I FORGOT totally and completely about speech therapy today. ::snort::

Now I can't sleep because well....I forgot and wasn't able to call and make it right and everyone knows you CAN'T sleep with something like this hanging over your head....so I came to play with the blog instead.

For the life of me I don't know WHY the spaces get all messed up with blogger. LOL

Enjoying the Little Things

I'm in a bit of a melancholy mood today. Nothing has gone quite as planned today. There are simply days like this.

Our house seems really "slow" today. There are only 4 children at home. Josiah has classes and closes every night this week. He won't be home much. Jamin and Jared are at World View Academy. The girls still haven't moved back home. ::snort::

As we drove away from "the ranch" (wow is this a NICE resort/camp), Mike commented something to the effect that "this is what our family is going to look like in a few short years." We've both been trying to process this thought. Wow. Where did all the wonderfully chaotic years go? Four children at home is nearly normal.

We had a great visit with Brad and Brenda. Brenda commented on the energy it takes to keep up with our little ones. I had an epiphany. I realized that most women my age are no longer chasing toddlers around. ::snort:: This gave me a shocking glimpse into why my decriptitude is accelerating and my energy levels are declining - I'm not really doing the typical "aging female" type activities. OK - so QUIT LAUGHING!!! This was a lightbulb moment to me. I'll have to take vitamins and quit worrying about being tired. Most my friends my age have only young adults at this stage in their life...no wonder I'm TIRED! ::snort::

All these thoughts have me melancholy. I feel truly honored and excited that we still have young blessings at home to parent. I miss the older children. I miss the season when we were all under one roof - but I see things clearly now that I missed when the older four were young.

It doesn't really matter if they ace those tests. It doesn't really matter if the house is a mess. It doesn't really matter if they don't care for broccoli. It isn't really going to cause the world to shift if the crayons melt on the car floor. It won't really matter if there is laundry left on the couch. Truthfully, it doesn't really, really matter if I lose or gain two lbs this week....not really.

It's the little things that matter. This week, with just the four of us home, I'm determined to focus on the "little things" that matter. Today we concentrated on some character issues I've been meaning to address, we began talking about what love looks like and we also began a "family way" on cooperating, we co-operated and put up some fall decor (note below), we played games, watched movies, I made bubble scultures while Stacia took a mid-afternoon bath...the little things.....but they matter.

Note (we seem to have lost a box of Thanksgiving/Fall decorations - even checked the attic - where could it have gone???)

National Museum Day (Saturday)

Many cities in America had FREE entrance to their museums on Saturday. Our little (88K) town has 4 museums and all were free on Saturday. We've been to the Fort several times. We just went to the Nature Center in the last couple of weeks. I would love to go to the Fine Arts Museum but really I think I'd be too slow for the younger group to enjoy. Mike is REALLY slow at a museum ::snort::.... In fact this adorable character trait led to some reminiscing about a visit to an air museum in Pensacola with our family and the R family. We've NEVER been to the train museum....off we went...those who were home and available....

We were given a tour guide who had worked at our Historic Santa Fe depot (98 years old) for 40 years. He was passionate and knowledgeable. (He also had peppermints that he handed out to everyone but we noted Stacia and Arielle got HANDFULS!)

Huge to scale model that the kids can climb in

Lots of train set ups - this one is a living room sized set up - made me wonder....

Date Nails were pounded into ties and then they could tell which year the ties had been placed...

All enjoyed these but Zander was mesmerized...

What's wrong with this photo

Hmmm...A Christmas Idea? Maybe.... Well it would be a family Christmas/Birthday toy as I'm quite sure it is over their $50 per child Christmas budget. LOL

They had several real train cars for us to climb around on

An "almost" family photo ::grin:: Jared took it and the older 3 are off and about....

Re-Cap Again -

Maybe I'll quit trying to keep up over the weekend.

Friday night - Mike didn't get home at 5:30 but was home by 11:30 p.m. We did have dinner with some friends and then came home to wait until time to pick up Mike.

Saturday - we lazed around in the a.m. We visited a train museum. We prepared for Sunday School.

Sunday - Sunday School began. It was nice to be back in the routine. Mike and I are teaching the younger set this year....we had a good time...small class....4 of our children and 1 new family.

We left directly after Sunday School to drive Jamin and Jared to World View Camp - 4 hours away. We met some friends at the camp who were dropping off THEIR children (Brad and Brenda - Mom and girls). We went to dinner and visited...then drove back home. We got back home around 11:00 p.m. Mike then helped Cy edit a paper that was due today....got a uniform ready for work, and did something else - I was comatose by then and haven't a clue.

Monday - getting the week going. We've worked on school, gone to Curves, and sent in a Shop Natural co-op order this a.m. It will be interesting to have only younger ones around here. Josiah is still home but he's closing every night this week and has college classes - we go several days without seeing him - we usually see him on Sunday. LOL

Photos later.