My Family

Gratitude Day 20

Today I'm so thankful for my husband and kids. Absence sure does make the heart grow fonder.

I got home from Arizona at 7:30 last night. Jared and the kids picked me up at the airport. Seeing those smiling faces as the car pulled up and then hearing the chorus of "Mommy!" as I opened the door was the best moment I've had in a long long time. After kissing my good husband, I sat in the back of the van with the kids on the way home and they told me every little detail about what they did while I was gone. I heard about Eliza and the twins' basketball games. I heard about all the pizza they ate (and found all the veggies and fruit I left for them still in the fridge - but hey, they needed a break from all that healthy food I give them). I heard about the snow. I heard about how Oliver read two chapter books and Silas read one. I heard about the movie they watched for family movie night. I heard about the extremely exciting new printer Daddy researched and bought (the touch screen, the scanner, how it's wireless, the great price, how it prints in color - they were all SO excited - and so was I - we've been doing without a printer for a while...). I loved hearing all the important details of their 31/2 days without me. And interjected between all the information tumbling out were hugs and "I love you's" and "we missed you SO much."  It's good to be missed. It's good to be reunited.

When we got home, I gave them the little treats I got for them from Trader Joes (we miss that store) and showed them the flowers I found and pressed for them (It's my little tradition to get them something from nature  whenever I go on a trip. I got them fall leaves when I went to Boston and lovely pink flowers from Arizona where it's mostly still summer.)

Here they are showing their love for me by posing for a photo w/o a whole lot of fuss. How cute are these kids of mine?  Oh, it was so great to hug them all again.

So I guess Silas wasn't so thrilled about the photo...

Then Ashton gave me this sweet note he'd made (using the new super-exciting printer):

And Eliza gave me this lovely picture (she and I are really into sunsets and art):

I tucked all the kids in bed and we had a nice group prayer where we held hands and each person had a chance to add on to the prayer and say what they were grateful for - "airplanes to bring mom home," "my bed and blankets," "that I have such a nice mommy and daddy," "that we have good food to eat," "that we have a good home," "that I have the best kids and husband in the world." The kids suggested we do a prayer like that every night this week to get ready for Thanksgiving. We will.

Then Jared and I had a chance to catch up. We're not big phone-talkers so we saved most things up to talk about in person and I loved hearing everything about his job interview and more about the whole few days from his perspective.  I have such a good husband.

After being away and hearing and sharing ideas about finding more joy in motherhood and thinking about how to be more deliberate and present as a mom at the Retreat and in talks with April and Shawni for the last few days, I'm feeling such an increased love and excitement and joy as a mom. I'm determined to slow down and enjoy these beautiful moments more, to focus more on relationships and less on accomplishments, to be plan better and pray more so my time can be used more wisely and the first things will get done first, to be less busy and more joyful.