Some Good Stuff

We've had a string of good days that has me feeling all kinds of Disney.

Like birds are singing and mice are sewing me dresses and, at any moment, small bunnies will start talking to me.  I don't know if it's the shift of seasons or the cooler air or just perfect star alignment, but whatever it is that's going on, I hope it is long term.

Our routine has been set and the days are flowing like a well oiled machine.  

Lazy mornings to school to a daily visit with our new (almost) neighbors.  While the littles nap, Josie builds mass living complexes out of Legos until it's time to play outside until dinner.  Josie and Gabe end each day dirty, stinky, and down right happy.

The other day, they discovered the woods that surround our house.  Neither are brave enough to go past a five foot threshold, but in that five feet they created a whole new planet where they are explorers.  Explorers who get along at that, making for some photogenic moments.  They tromped in four hours later whispering about being best friends and my heart melted straight out of my chest. 

Watching them be friends?  Well, that's about as good as it gets.

Nothing too exciting is going on.  Just normal days that mix school, chores, and friends together in a perfect cocktail of life.

My friend Kelsey and I let the kids run off a morning donut date while we made Fall wreaths.  That one project sparked a long ago flame in me.  I suddenly remembered that I love glue guns and fabric and spray paint fumes. I've knocked quite a few projects off my list and as soon as I can drag my crew to our local home improvement store, I'm going to knock out some more.  I may not be able to renovate a house like Christy, but I can make a mean cornice board.

can we talk about Gabe in suspenders?  

God's been working on my heart again.

Smoothing out some rough edges, working on controlling my pride.  I'm learning a new level of compassion and even though it's making me extremely uncomfortable, I'm learning to like it.  A few weeks ago, in the middle of a bit of a Mommy Tantrum, He pointed out that my frustration wasn't coming from the situation, but from me forgetting who my kids are.

My Josie Girl is a project manager.  We call her our camp director.  She is happiest when she has a task to complete.  Even happier if she has a willing employee to direct.  She craves my undivided attention, my paper stash, and unrestricted access to my craft paints.

Gabe, well, Gabe has a work ethic that rivals most grown people's.  I've watched in amazement as he hauled trash at The Farmhouse for hours on end.  He will help rake leaves or plant shrubs or remove nails from the roof (that one was on Andrew's watch) and not leave until the job is done.  It's been very cool to watch this side of his personality come out.  

So telling them to "just go play" doesn't work well.  

They don't want to just go do busy work.  Give them a job and, by golly, they will be off and running.

They are good kids.  And they have personalities and traits that I want to nurture.  I don't think it's any kind of coincidence that shortly after altering my mothering to account for who they are, our days took a serious turn for the better.

let's be honest, Josie does most of the child care for Baby Emma.

I'm officially calling Fall our favorite season.

At least until the next one rolls around.