Blessings

Utter fail on keeping up with my blog this year.  I'm so far behind now that I don't think I will ever catch up.

But there are so many things I want to document and remember, so instead of avoiding the blog just because I am behind, I decided to make a brief entry tonight.

Nathan is out of town, visiting Utah and enjoying a "bucket list" concert with his old buddy James Abbott (Yes and Toto).  We've been missing him while he is gone!  And I haven't been sleeping well without him.  It's been busy here at home and it's hard when he is not here to soothe any anxieties at the end of the day.  So, it's a challenge to remain cheerful and positive.

However, we have blessings every day that keep me smiling.  I got such a kick out of working with Trey on a math lesson today.  He was genuinely proud to create a pictograph about the number of girls and boys in our family!  And I got a chance to teach him a little bit about lettering, too.  His giggles throughout the lesson, when he accomplished each task successfully, filled my heart right up.

It's not easy to see in this photo, but he drew the picture of me with a frowny face.  When I asked him why, he said, "Because you just broke your blender, of course!"  I haven't broken my blender, but it totally made me smile that he knew exactly what would give me a frowny face.  Haha!  And on Coco's picture, he drew three eyes.  His reasoning was that he drew the first two eyes too close together so he needed a third eye to be in the more accurate position.  Such a cutie!

I wish I could communicate what a huge pleasure it is to teach my children.  Most moms tell me they would hate to teach their children, insisting that their kids would not listen to them and lessons would disintegrate into an argument.

Well, sometimes my kids don't listen, either.  But for the most part, they are very cooperative learners.  We have lively and engaging discussions about the things that are of most worth in this world.  So I wouldn't miss it for the world.

And finally, my two oldest boys, probably recognizing that I am tired and missing their Daddy, chose to finish off the day by helping me fold laundry while watching "The Pioneer Woman" with me.  Such excellent young men!  Blessings all around me, filling my heart.