Day 123: In Memoriam

Today was actually pretty great. Complete with lots of Joyful Moments. But I think something would be amiss if I didn't share today's obvious Joyful Moment.

Waking up free.

Both of my grandpa's, some uncles, and some cousins have all served in the military. I'm proud of their service and sacrifices and their courage. I'm grateful to all those who've sacrificed so I can have so many rights, freedoms, opportunities, and privileges.

And I'm grateful for this amazing and beautiful country we call home.

Wishing you all the freedom to pursue Joyful Moments!

Day 122: Four Hands Are Better Than Two

HH is the Elder's Quorum President at church. For those of you who are of a different faith, that means that he is responsible for the well being and church activities for most of the men ages 18 and up in our congregation.

That means he's kind of busy. Especially on Sundays, thanks to meetings.

On a typical Sunday he helps out with breakfast and baths and then rushes off to his meetings being held before church. Then I get the kids ready the rest of the way, get them some brunch (because church goes right through lunch), get myself ready, feed BB, and then get us all loaded up in the car with everything we need (hopefully!) and we drive to church.

Then we have three hours of church, say a quick 'good bye' to HH, if we can locate him before he heads to his after church meetings, and get back into the car to go home. Then I get the kids a snack, feed BB, read them some stories, sing them some songs, and get them in bed for naps. Then if BB is awake, I entertain him. If he is asleep, I start making dinner.

And at some point, HH gets home.

Let's just say, Sundays aren't always as restful as I'd like them to be.

But today, HH didn't have any meetings. At all. He was there to help get the kids ready for church and even played a couple games with them ("Twist" and "Yahtzter" as Sweet P called them). Then he helped me get everyone in the car and we got to drive to church together. And then after church he came home with us and helped get the kids their snacks and into bed for naps. And entertained BB while I started dinner.

And the Joyful Moment was this morning when I found out that he didn't have any of those meetings. And it truly made everything so much better for me the whole day. He's so great.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments from a nice change in schedule!

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

Day 121: Rockin' Receipt

Yeah , so today's Joyful Moment came from an awesome deal I made at CVS. That might sound silly, but listen to this:

So, they had a deal that I could buy Old Spice body wash (what HH always uses) for $4 and then get $4 in rewards bucks back. Like getting it free. Except I had a coupon to buy one bottle and get one free. Plus a $5 rewards coupon from a previous purchase. So, I got two bottles of body wash and a little something extra as a small surprise for my HH AND $8 rewards bucks back. And I paid $0.45 out of pocket.

Yeah, I rocked that deal.

And it was totally my Joyful Moment because I love LOVE finding great deals and saving money. Love it.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that you rock at!

And if you want to see a little girl who knows that she rocks at everything, check the video on the post below. We should all do something like this before bed at night.

Day 120: Yeh-Hoo!

That's what Little M says when he's excited.

Sweet P had her Kindergarten Physical today and I had asked a friend to watch Little M so I would only have one other child to deal with. Then BB decided he didn't want to waste a trip to the doctor, so he woke up with a scary coughing fit this morning. I was so grateful that I already had things set up for my friend to take Little M!

Sweet P's physical went well except for the three booster shots she had to get--NIGHTMARE!

But then it was over and she got to go to the special "Party Room" where she promptly forgot all the trauma.

And thankfully, BB seems to be okay. Definitely the sickest I've ever had one at this age, but right now we just have to keep an eye on him and a speedy recovery is expected. Phew!

So, we went back to pick up Little M and got a phone call from my mama. She and my dad are moving. They could have moved SUPER DUPER far away, or to a location still far, but not as far as they are now. And they picked the one that isn't far away.

JOYFUL MOMENT!!!!

Then we got back to my friend's house and wound up staying and visiting for a while. The kids had a great time playing with my friend's son and I got to talk to an adult. Two days in a row! And this time it was a good friend, so it was even better. And I really like her.

Boom--Joyful Moment.

Wishing you all JOYFUL MOMENTS that require the caps lock key!

Day 119: C is for Cookie

Cookie Monster was always my favorite. Probably because we share a love for food--cookies in particular.

Anyway, HH's coworkers were all very kind in getting us baby gifts after the birth of BB. So today the kids and I drove out to his office to deliver some "Thank You Cookies" and notes. And to show off our little guy.

It was fun. Getting out of the house, interacting with full grown human beings. And after we left HH told me that the cookies got rave reviews and it has been requested that I bring more.

I love to cook and bake and I fancy myself to be fairly decent at it. But my cookies, those I'm more than a little proud of. I've researched and practiced quite a bit over the years and I've come up with a pretty darn tasty recipe.

Having this acknowledged + appreciated = Joyful Moment.

Wishing you all acknowledgement + appreciation = Joyful Moment!

Day 118: N'Sunk

Yeah. Today was definitely not yesterday. But that's okay. I have a feeling things will be "one step forward, two steps backward" for at least a little while longer. And it really is okay. We were out of sorts today, but maybe we'll be back in them tomorrow.

What does that even mean? No one ever says they're "in sorts". You're only ever "out of sorts".

Anyway, today's Joyful Moment came while typing this. I was going to post a different Joyful Moment, but then BB decided he was lonely and wanted to join me. We were looking at each other and then I started kissing his cheeks because they are soooo kissable. And then I looked at him again and he just looked so content. Like he understood what my kisses meant.

So, even though I had vowed to make today's Joyful Moment about something NOT related to my family, for a change--I couldn't. They just bring me so many of my Joyful Moments. Especially this new little guy.

It helps that he doesn't whine or talk back.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that don't talk back!

Day 117: N'Sync

That was the only boy band I ever really got into. I was in love with Justin Timberlake's curly hair. I've always had a thing for curls.

Anyway, so today didn't have any defining Joyful Moments. It was just sort of a good day where I felt like I'm starting to get back into the swing of things. We're starting to find our new normal, so we can have a normal life again. And it feels good.

So, as I sit here reviewing the day's events, I can think of Joyful Moments, but they are pretty much of the variety that I've already shared. Mostly, relating to my family--my greatest source of joy. So, today's most original Joyful Moment would simply be when I reflected back and realized that things went well today. And not just "well considering the circumstances". Things really went well. Yay us!

Wishing you all Joyful Moments brought to you by life going smoothly, or by a boy band. Take your pick!

Day 116: Smorgasborg

Today was one of those days that I probably would have thought was just a "blah" day before beginning my Joyful Moment journey. It wasn't necessarily a bad day, but it was full of a lot of hard work, some projectile poop that I cannot get to come out of my carpet, Little M dirtying almost every article of clothing he owns, and then him screaming after waking up from his nap like he used to do every day as a toddler.

But in between all that were the moments that I probably would have overlooked if I weren't in the habit of noticing joy in my life.

The workout that I got from the hard work (mostly, mowing our lawn with our push reel mower) felt really good after not exercising for 4 1/2 weeks. I know it was more than I should have done, but I'm not always the brightest when it comes to things like that. And even though it completely wore me out, it did bring me a bit of a Joyful Moment for being capable of doing it.

Giving the kids the opportunity to play outside and ride bikes while I mowed was also a Joyful Moment. I don't usually feel up to going outside with them and the baby, so it felt really good to do it today (BB took an extra long nap allowing for all of this, plus more cleaning and a shower!).

Making cookies with Little M after he finally calmed down (phew!) was totally a Joyful Moment. He is going to make a great husband some day. He loves to help me in the kitchen and he is surprisingly good at it for a three year old.

Cuddling with HH while we all watched part of a movie for our weekly Family Night and then enjoying our cookies were more Joyful Moments.

And so you see, what would have been a "Blah" or even "Bad" day was actually a kind of good day. You just have to know where to look.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that turn any kind of day into a good one!

Day 115: Angel Eyes

That was the first song I ever heard from Jim Brickman. I searched until I found the piano music and then practiced it diligently. It's still one of my favorites.

Postpartum hormones tend to make me have panic attacks. At least they did quite a bit after my first two babies. This time, I've been panic attack free though. Up until this morning, anyway. I had a bit of a scare yesterday evening, followed by some bad dreams, and then had a long, but mild, panic attack all morning.

When the mess with Sweet P began during my third trimester, I kept wondering "why now?". It just seemed like such rotten timing. I was so stressed out about her and how we were going to work out all of the doctor's visits and tests and whatnot with me not knowing when I'd be in the hospital and how much I'd be able to handle after BB was born. And since the birth of BB, many of the people aware of what we're going through with Sweet P have expressed concern for how I'm coping with that on top of a new baby.

But shortly after BB's birth, I realized something. His birth was a gift. He keeps me so preoccupied, I don't have time to sit and stew over potential "what if's". And as I've mentioned, I am totally in love with him so, when life gets crazy and overwhelming, I can hold him and feel that all is right and well. Or at least it will be.

And that's what happened today to help me snap out of my panic attack funk. I was holding him and he was wide awake and just so snuggly and everything was good. And that was my Joyful Moment. Holding him and looking at his sweet little face just brought me so much peace. He definitely has something angelic about him.

Wishing you all angelic Joyful Moments!

Day 114: Commitment

If you know me, or if you've been a long time reader of this blog, then you know that I struggle with commitment. Quite a bit. I made a lot of progress when that was the theme for my year two years ago, but it hasn't really applied to making improvements on our house. We've only got one room in our house decorated and we haven't done anything to improve the very weak job of landscaping left by the previous owners.

But today (mostly thanks to the efforts of HH) we made progress. We bought three flowering bushes for the front, two bushes (lilac!) for the back, and six fruit trees (crazy!). And we bought two cool art pieces for the kitchen. Nothing is planted or hung yet, but it still feels like huge progress. Actually committing to something enough to buy it and bring it home feels really good. As in, Joyful Moment good.

Yay!

Wishing you all fully committed Joyful Moments!

Day 113: See Ya Later, Alligator

Another confession--I pretty much dread doing Sweet P's violin practice every day. She fights it on most days and it's just sort of long and tedious. Does that make me a bad parent?

However, she just got a new song that might change that. It's a variation of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and she has to sing "See ya later, alligator" while she plays to help her play each note the correct number of times. And something about it is just incredibly adorable. And she has the cutest smile while she does it, too. So, watching that was today's Joyful Moment. And actually kind of makes me look forward to those practices for the next week.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that invite anticipation for the upcoming week!

Day 112: Smiley!

So, this might be cheating, but today's Joyful Moment is sort of a repeat. Sorry.

Remember how I said I thought BB smiled at me last week? Well, today he did for sure. And I melted. Completely. It was so sweet and precious and adorable. And then he spit up all over me. But you can't really be upset with someone who just gave you the sweetest smile.

And then he smiled again at HH just barely. I'm so glad he got to experience this Joyful Moment, too!

And just in case that is cheating, I have a back up Joyful Moment. That would be from tucking in Little M. He told me I couldn't tickle him because he was too powerful. Actually, he barely got it out in between giggles because I was tickling him and he is SO ticklish. And it was really funny.

Anyway, wishing you all Joyful Moments full of grins and giggles!

Day 111: Smooth Operator

Have I mentioned how adept I'm getting at one-handed typing these days? I usually have a little blogging buddy with me now. But he's cute, so I don't mind the added challenge.

Speaking of added challenges, that is sort of the source of today's Joyful Moment. Today was my first real outing on my own. We went to the dog run and then to the park--with a large puppy, a four-week old baby, a three-year old maniac, and an energetic five-year old. Besides the inherent challenges of this situation, everything went really well. Meaning that not one of us had a meltdown. The baby slept peacefully almost the whole time, the kids were obedient and left the playground without a fuss (which means I didn't have to make one either), and the dog was just thrilled to be out of the house.

And I felt really proud of myself. And in realizing that *maybe* I can do this, I had my Joyful Moment.

Wishing you all tantrum-free Joyful Moments!

Day 110: Approved!

I didn't even have to think for a second to come up with today's Joyful Moment. It was when I checked the mail this afternoon and opened a letter from our insurance. I thought it was another run of the mill claim statement (we get those almost daily between all of Sweet P's testing and BB's birth), but it wasn't.

It was a letter from the insurance company telling us that they will allow Sweet P to receive the preferred treatment! They originally denied it, meaning that she would have to get the treatment that involved her getting a shot every four weeks. She is terrified of needles, so this would have been awful for all of us. I was beginning to give up hope though because all signs were pointing to another denial from the insurance. In fact, we were going to begin the other treatment tomorrow.

It was originally scheduled for today at 3:30 PM, but the woman who was going to administer the shot had called to reschedule our appointment for tomorrow. Oddly enough, I ended up getting the mail at basically, 3:30 PM. Coincidence? I don't think so. Had Sweet P had the shot treatment today, I wouldn't have gotten the mail until later and so I wouldn't have known about the approval. And the shot treatment would have delayed her being able to begin the other method of treatment. I know that we were blessed in having rescheduled her appointment for tomorrow. And I am so so so thankful for it!

So, it was a wonderful Joyful Moment in the midst of all the mess of her needing the treatment to begin with. I'm so grateful to know that our loving Father in Heaven is still watching over us and that my precious Sweet P is in His hands because she's His precious Sweet P, too.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that make your heart overflow with gratitude!

Day 109: To-Do Calendar

Remember how last Monday I had it all figured out--how to accomplish things, but pace myself and accept my limitations as a new mommy and all?

Well, I didn't mention it, but by Tuesday I was completely overwhelmed and totally frustrated by it all. Again. And I thought I was going to go crazy.

I kind of sort of did.

But yesterday I was given some divine help to realize a better way.

HH and I wrote a new to-do list (pretty much the same, minus the three things I accomplished last week, plus a billion new things that have popped up in the mean time). Then I took that list and our calendar and I combined the two of them. I wrote down specific tasks to accomplish on specific days.

Monday is always my most productive day of the week, so it remains to be seen how the rest of the To-Do Calendar will go. But today totally rocked. I accomplished the 5 assignments I'd given myself and then a couple more. And a couple of them were things that I've been putting off for forever, so it's a HUGE relief to have it done.

And I feel really proud of myself because I got these things done, but I didn't overdo it. I'm not tired. Well, no. I'm totally tired. But I'm not worn out from doing too much today. I'm just worn out because a really cute little person drains all my energy and doesn't let me sleep. But I digress. Recognizing all my awesome accomplishments today was my Joyful Moment.

Wishing you all awesome Joyful Moments!

Day 108: Touch

Life is busy. Right now it feels especially so. And HH kind of feels more like a roommate lately than my Hot Hubby. We're just so busy and tired, we kind of forget to connect.

So, when he reached over a held my hand during church today it was my Joyful Moment. A small gesture, but he still melts my butter--if you know what I mean.

Wishing you all butter-melting Joyful Moments!

Day 107: Three

That's how many Joyful Moments I have to share with you today. One with each of my children.

First, was when Little M and HH got home from last night's camp out. He was so excited to tell me everything and I could tell he had such a fun time. And it just filled my heart with joy to know it.

Second, I'm *pretty* sure BB smiled at me. He made eye contact with me, I smiled at him, and then he got a really big smile on his face... and then about 30 seconds later he started crying. That's why I'm not 100% sure. But it totally looked like a smile. Can you say JOYFUL MOMENT?!

And third was Sweet P's recital. Honestly, she didn't do all that great. Is that horrible to say as a mom? She forgot where she was at in her piece several times and just really struggled to get through it. She can play it waaaaaay better than she did today. But she looked so cute up there on stage with her little tiny violin, I forgot to be concerned about how well she played. I was busy having my Joyful Moment over her cuteness.

Wishing you all at least three Joyful Moments!

Day 106: Scooby Dooby Doo!

Today I began the ascent back to the land of the living. I think. I hope. Thanks for your kind words and encouragement.

Tonight HH and Little M took a Boys' Night. We're really hoping it somehow helps Little M return to his sweet little self and ditch the crazy man he's been lately.

But of course, that meant Sweet P and I got to have a Girl's Night by default. BB had to join the girls since he and I are sort of still connected. So, we went to dinner with another friend and then shared a couple sundaes, just the two of us, afterward. And Sweet P talked a mile a minute through it all.

Then we came home, received an unexpected dinner (with DELICIOUS homemade french bread!) from a friend, finally got around to violin practice, and then headed downstairs to watch a movie of her choosing.

Scooby Doo, of course. That's her current fave and her Grandma bought her one while she was here. She was so thrilled to have me snuggling right next to her for the whole movie. She and Little M picked out some candy earlier in the day for us to share on our nights out. Sweet P made sure we ate ours together at the same time. She wrapped my arm around her and snuggled in for the whole movie. Then she danced, pretending to be a zombie during the music accompanying the credits. And every time I screamed in sheer terror (softly, so I wouldn't wake sleeping BB), she giggled uncontrollably.

And BB kindly cooperated by being awake and asleep at all the right times.

And the whole evening was a wonderful Joyful Moment. I love my little girl.

Wishing you all great Girls' Nights Out (unless of course, you're not a girl--then I'll wish you a Boy's Night Out) full of fun Joyful Moments!

Day 105: Confession

Okay, honestly, I'm really struggling right now. Between stress, exhaustion, guilt, Sweet P's stuff, exercise withdrawals, and just feeling frumpy and out of sorts 99% if the time, I'm not a very joyful person these days. With the exception of yesterday's photos, Joyful Moments are getting increasingly difficult to come by. And I kind of feel like a fake posting them each day. They are legitimate Joyful Moments, they just aren't as full of joy or as abundant.

But if you know me, please pretend like you didn't read this when we talk. I'm only confessing this here because I feel like I need to and it seems easier when it's a faceless void. I don't really like discussing this in person when I'm going through it. It bugs me to have someone concerned about me.

So... today's Joyful Moment? I think that would have to be sort of a vicarious Joyful Moment from when Little M got seriously giddy over a new box of cereal this morning--Quaker Oat Squares. They are tasty, but it was ridiculous how excited and giggly he was over the anticipation of eating them. And it was good for me to see that kind of reckless abandon for experiencing joy.

I really need to be more like my kids.

Day 104: Photerrific

Today's Joyful Moment--Getting CDs with these (and so much more!) delivered by one of my good friends responsible for them:

And I don't think I need to wish you Joyful Moments tonight because I'm pretty sure you just shared in mine!

Day 103: Holy Guacamole!

That is how profound today's Joyful Moment was. We had guacamole with dinner and I think I made it to perfection (if I do say so myself) tonight.

Guacamole is probably my second favorite food (second to brownies--I LOVE brownies, love love love love love). So, anytime I get to eat it, it's a guaranteed Joyful Moment. Yum.

Wishing you all guaranteed Joyful Moments!

Day 102: Life Simplified

Today's Joyful Moment was being able to finally figure out how to make this work.

My first week back, I tried keeping up with the old routine. I stayed caught up, but I felt pretty exhausted. And now I'm only more exhausted.

The second week I just took a break while my mother-in-law was here. That was great because I got a lot of rest. She did help with the cleaning, but mostly she played with Sweet P and Little M--which is exactly what I was hoping would happen while she visited. They needed the attention much more than the carpets needed vacuuming. However, by the end of this last weekend, the house was in complete disarray.

So, last night I went to bed feeling a bit overwhelmed and frustrated. I'm so tired I can't help but rest, but the clutter and growing to-do list are driving me crazy!

Thankfully, I woke up with the guidance in how to handle it. I wrote down that to-do list, but made myself accept that I cannot get it all done in a day. Or probably even a week. I have to pace myself--and that's okay.

And I got a couple of the major things done today. Only a couple out of a very long list, but I still feel good about it. HH even commented on one of them immediately after getting home. It's so nice to have my work acknowledged and appreciated!

And that was it, today's Joyful Moment. Acceptance and Organization. Plus, a little progress.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments of realizing what is really practical and what is too much. And being totally okay with it. And that may be my weirdest Joyful Moment wish for you yet! You're welcome.

Day 101: Happy Mommy's Day!

That's what Little M keeps calling it. And I think it's adorable.

Today's Joyful Moments were too numerous to choose just one. And since I have a little fussy-pants in my lap as I'm trying to type, I'm going to share them briefly.

--Wishing my own mother a Happy day. She is indescribably awesome--as a mother, friend, and person

--Being woken by Sweet P bringing me a card she made for me in preschool

--Fitting into one of my favorite skirts again

--Receiving a cute card from Little M that he made in church

--Being served pie during the third hour of church and getting to visit with the other women while someone else sat with my Primary class for me

--HH holding BB so I could eat my pie in peace

--Very thoughtful gifts from Sweet P and HH--beautifully wrapped too!

--HH making dinner

--Being daughter, wife, and mama to such wonderful people!

Wishing you all a Mother's Day full of Joyful Moments!

Day 100: Yay For Me!

100 Consecutive Days of Posting!!! That is a huge accomplishment for someone as poor at commitment as I am. I'm really pleased with myself. Kind of a Joyful Moment in and of itself. And while we're at it, I'm going to share a few of the other Joyful Moments that have accompanied this journey so far.

One is my sister-in-law Mel who has been pretty consistent in sharing her Joyful Moments here as well. I love that she is supporting me in this and I love getting an insight into her daily life because we live way too far apart.

Another is many of the rest of you who have shared intermittent Joyful Moments here and on your personal blogs. Again, I really appreciate your support and reading about the things that bring you joy.

And last (and definitely least), every time I click the spell check and get a "no misspellings found" message, it's a little bitty Joyful Moment. I used to be a pretty good speller, but being out of school and being a mommy seems to have intruded on that ability a little. So, anytime I feel like I've still got it feels good.

Wishing us all another 100 days of Joyful Moments!

p.s. No misspellings found tonight!!!

Day 99: A-Plane

I was feeling down this morning and then I had to take BB in for his two week check up where they told me that they wished he was gaining a little more weight. Normally, my kids are off the charts even at this early age, so this was a new experience for me. They said it's nothing to worry about, but what sleep-deprived, hormonal new mom isn't going to worry about their kid's weight gain?

And then we had to go to the pharmacy to pick up some items and get a prescription filled. I couldn't get the car seat to fit in the cart, so I was carrying it on one arm and my diaper bag and a shopping basket on the other. That didn't really leave any hands to control the other two kids, so they were running amok, grabbing everything off of the shelves. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit harried and stressed on top of feeling down.

And then Little M came running up past me with his arms stretched out wide, tilted at an angle: "Mom! I'm a a-plane!" (That's not quite how he pronounces it, but it's as close as I can get.) And somehow in that moment when I was feeling ready to break, Someone gave me a gift and helped me see the sweet innocence and joy my little boy was feeling in that moment. And I was able to smile a real, genuine smile and appreciate my child in his childishness.

And it was a tender, sweet Joyful Moment right there in the middle of CVS as we shared that smile together.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments provided by the tender mercy of the Lord.

Day 98: Daddy Cakes

Today was a rough day. It was another stressful, scary day for me as a mom as Sweet P underwent some more testing. Mostly it was stressful and scary because I'm still hormonal. I'm sure everything is fine.

Today's Joyful Moment came while sitting here trying to think of today's Joyful Moment. HH is upstairs with BB. BB has the hiccups for the 14 billionth time of his short time on earth so far. I'm sitting in the basement, but sound travels very well through our vents and I can here HH up there cooing to our little baby and it completely fills my heart with joy.

For one thing, it's just really adorable to listen to their interaction. For another, I'm so grateful to have married a man who is such an excellent father. It's no wonder the kids can't wait for him to get home each day.

I feel the same way.

Wishing you all adorable Joyful Moments!

Day 97: Photo Op

I happen to be lucky enough to have not one, but two friends who are excellent photographers. Actually, I think I have more than that, but these two asked if they could 'please' take photos of my baby.

Okay, fine.

Actually, it was a lot more enthusiastic of a response from me. More like, "Please do!!!"

And today was the big day. So, of course, he woke up with flaky, dry skin and one eye sealed shut with green goo from a clogged duct.

And he pooped all over my friend's white blanket while doing the nudey photos.

But these amazing girls worked around all of that and hid it pretty well. Well, they hid his dry skin and goopy eye. The blanket was done, though.

Anyway, watching all of that and anticipating these super cute photos was definitely today's Joyful Moment. I will share whenever I get the finished product!

Wishing you all picture perfect Joyful Moments!

Day 96: Carry Over

So, today was actually abundant with sweet Joyful Moments. At least this evening. I shared a Joyful Moment with each of my children.

But the Joyful Moment I want to share here is actually kind of from yesterday. Last night my m-i-l discovered a package on our doorstep. It was from my parents. It contained a gift for each of us from their recent trip to Egypt. Very fun.

But my true Joyful Moment came from the other item in the package. A beautiful, soft blanket for BB. Did I mention it's beautiful? And soft? Oh, so soft. I just love it. L-O-V-E. Love. Totally a Joyful Moment last night. And then I wrapped him in its softness this morning and he looked so precious in it. Joyful Moment today.

Lovely.

Thank you, Mom!!!

Wishing you all Joyful Moments from an awesome mama!

Day 95: Chillaxin'

So, last week I pretty much kept up with my normal routine (besides going to the gym, of course). I was afraid to get too far behind with the cleaning and the other tasks that go along with keeping house.

And now that my mother-in-law is here, I had been planning all of these different activities to do with her and the kids. And I figured it would be a good opportunity to continue to keep up with the housework because she can entertain them while I do it.

But then this morning I realized that she is only here for a short time and I'm exhausted. Okay, I didn't realize those this morning--I was already very aware of my exhaustion. But I really started thinking about it and about how the kids are happy just playing here with her and about the fact that taking one week off won't put our house in ruins. In fact, taking advantage of this time to rest might make it easier to keep up with everything going forward.

So... I'm giving myself the week off. I slept in and I took an afternoon nap. And I let my mother-in-law make most of dinner and do the clean up. And she made today wonderful for my kids. And I SO appreciate her for it.

I'm still exhausted, but giving myself permission to take a few days off was definitely a Joyful Moment. And I expect that as the week wears on, maybe, just maybe, I won't feel quite so tired. Maybe. (c:

Wishing you all Joyful Moments of giving yourself permission to do what's really best for you--even if it's a little selfish!

Day 94: Gramma

My mother-in-law came to visit last night. It's been so fun watching the kids play and interact with her all day. I'm very blessed to have in-laws that love and adore my children. As I've mentioned, I know the transition with a new baby has been rough on them even though they're handling it pretty well. I'm so grateful to have someone else here to give them the attention they miss from me.

Not to mention the fact that it's nice for me to have help.

Today Kayli said something along the lines of, "It's so fun having you here to play with us, Grandma!"

Joyful Moment.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments provided by someone else taking care of you and those you love!

Day 93: Okay

Today brought a lot of interaction with friends and neighbors. I had to take Sweet P around to a birthday party and then a play date and we had a few visitors at the house. And everyone kept asking how I am doing with the transition from two to three.

And today's Joyful Moment(s) came when I could honestly tell each of them that I am loving it. Not that it's been a breeze or anything--I'm just really enjoying our expanded family. And I'm doing okay. And for me, that's huge.

Sometimes I worry that this won't last and that eventually everything is going to come crashing down like it did after I had the other two. And based on my history, that's is very likely to happen. But for now, I'm just going to enjoy this time. I'm grateful to be able to so fully enjoy a newborn baby for once. And who knows? Maybe this time it will last.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments of loving whatever life brings!