Gratitude

Our family is now in a time of adjustment. Daddy has been so busy the last ... how many years? With graduate school, with new jobs, with dissertation writing. And now he is around again. In the evenings. On the weekends. And let me tell you, it is an adjustment. A happy adjustment, but an adjustment nonetheless. And we are all loving it. It feels like a honeymoon or a vacation. I had forgotten what "normal" family life was like.

Last Thursday, Daddy came home and said,
"It's beautiful out -- let's go for a walk."

And we could. without guilt.

And we did.

And then we went out for pizza.
On a regular Thursday night.

Unbelievable.

I had forgotten how good it feels to be spontaneous.
And free.

This Lent we have so much to be grateful for. And that is what we are focusing on. All of us. Being grateful. Together. For the large blessings and the small ones.

Thankful for nine years with Miss Sunshine,

who celebrated her birthday last Friday.

Thankful for her cheerful acceptance of our change of plans
because a blizzard made it impossible for us to leave home.

Thankful for the laughter generated daily
by Baby-isms like "bubbles" on pancakes.

Thankful for The Boy's LEGO creations.

(He was so excited about our field trip to UPS to mail Daddy's dissertation,
that he created a LEGO UPS store when we got home --
that's Daddy at the counter, handing the clerk his "big dissertation.")

Thankful for flour on a pan and an hour of busyness.

Thankful for the girls opportunity to perform
for the first time since we moved to North Dakota.

Thankful for the birds returning
and for the warm sun melting snow piles into puddles
that can be biked through.

Thankful for husband surprising me
with Starbucks and flowers
on tax preparation day.

Thankful taxes are done.
Thankful for a refund.

Thankful for colored pom-poms
flying through the air.
A new game.


Thankful for a birthday gift finished,
mailed, and delivered on time.


Thankful for brilliant sunsets and full moons rising.

Thankful for each other.