Today

Today we had friends over to play. It was really good.
Today Gavin spilled all his bubbles again (you think i would learn to not send him out alone with bubbles...but he loves it so much, i keep hoping they'll remain upright) not so good.
Today Gavin slept for 2.5 hours...Awesome!
Today Brayden's first nap was a mere 20 minutes...enough time to clean up his toys so he could start again on the distribution across my living room. Not so great.
Today I drank over 5 cups of coffee. Not sure what to think about this.
Today Shawn came home earlier than expected...Sweet!
Today Gavin had waaaay to many time outs to count. Not so sweet.
Today Brayden took over 5 steps...Holy cow!!!
Today our family splurged and went out to dinner. Fantastic!
Today I thought I was going to throw up changing diapers. Super gross!
Today I did 2 loads of laundry, vaacumed, cleaned the bathroom and cut Brayden's hair (mighty fine if i do say so myself) all on a day where I babysat baby Logan. NICE!
Today the cat spit up, Brayden spit up, Logan spit up and Gavin spit out half of his lunch (it wasn't that bad...i promise). NOT so nice.
Today I wiped away both my sons tears. Sad.
Today we had our friends over for small group and laughed until tears. Felt so good.

If you had asked me about today, I'd say it was a typical day. If I break it down, it seems like an amazing day. I need to break it down more often. I believe I would live in a constant state of wonder at how great our God is and how much he blesses me ...the opportunities to grow and witness growth and to really enjoy the people in each of my Todays.

Date night

So, my husband got tickets to the Newsboys for his birthday. (Yes, he is a 31 year old who loooves the Newsboys...and I love him). So we dropped the kids off at Mimi and Papa's house and headed to the concert.
Update on the Newsboys: They now have a new lead singer...Michael Tate from DC Talk. That's right! We were kickin' it old school contemperary Christian for sure! Now if you don't know contemperary Christian pop music, I cannot say that I can entirely blame you. But here's my analogy...the Newsboys are like New Kids on the Block (only the newsboys have continued to sell albums) they aren't entirely popular, some people love them, but no matter who you are...you probably know how to sing along with Hangin' Tough. And then they invited MC Hammer to be a lead vocal. So now, not only do you get to hear The Right Stuff...but you also get to hear Can't Touch This.
I heard the song "Breakfast in Hell" and "Jesus Freak" at the same concert. For all of you who don't follow old school Christian Music, this blog means so little to you right now. But for those who know what I'm talking about....you don't want to admit it, but you're jealous, cuz it's just fun!
A good night, a good date, and a good chance that won't ever happen again in my lifetime! Happy Birthday Shawn!

10 minutes

All I wanted was a shower. I hadn't had one in a few days and let's just say I was due. As I went to get ready, Gavin comes running in, "Do you need to use the potty Gavin?" (Gavin all the sudden has decided he'll go on the potty and I have to admit, I was not ready for the change in lifestyle...I should be thankful, but I am already missing the convience of diapers.)
"Yes, No, Choo Choo Train book."
Translation: I need to go, but I want to read my choo choo train book. So, I yell for shawn to grab the book and bring it in, as I set Gavin on the potty. Meanwhile, my toilet paper monster is sneaking up on me, headed for his reel.
Pretty soon...I'm holding Gavin, Shawn is trying to read the book to Gavin and we are both trying to wrestle Brayden off the toilet paper roll. All in an area about 2ft x2ft. Gavin happily makes his "bubbles" and jumps off..."Chewies?" This is his reward for pee-pee...what do daddy and I get...satisfaction? Hmmm...I'm not so sure.
So I finally get in the shower...with Gavin and Brayden. I get Brayden cleaned and handed off to dad. Check. We clean up Gavin and hand him off to dad. Check. I am picking up the water cups left behind and I turn back around to see Brayden being sprayed in the face, as he is falling into the shower in his pajamas. All smiles. What are you doing back here kid? It's MY turn!!! "Shaaaaawn..." I totally pulled the tattle voice! "Brayden's in the showwwwer!"
Shawn comes in, "Awww Brayden."
And then I get my ten minutes. I try not to feel bad for Shawn, who I know is extremely exhausted and now having to deal with two wet kids and a fight over the Thomas tracks. But bless Shawn's heart, he shut the door and I can't even hear the chaos. Just the sound of my hot water. Ahhh....10 minutes. I would like to thank Shawn and Everett Utilities for helping to make this happen.

Brothers

The sibling dynamic in our house has been changing a bit. Brayden wants to be where Gavin is at most times and he is now capable of getting there. Pretty darn fast too! I don't know how many of you have tried to keep up with a kid while crawling, but it is impressive how they cruise, cuz, man that hurts your knees! But I digress. Brayden is usually following Gavin and generally playing destructor to anything Gavin is doing. I am not sure how to handle this sometimes. Most days I try to distract, make Gavin share, or just take Brayden away. But sometimes, I start to feel bad for poor little Brayden who is really just too little to play Thomas Trains with his brother.
It has come to a point where they really can not be left alone too long without intervention. I either hear loud yells from Gavin, "No baby, No No NO! Mine!" or I hear large cries from Brayden, only to find Gavin sitting on him, trying to find a way to block him from his target. (Gavin has a sneaky way of not pushing...he sets himself up stratigically to be in the way and just kinda leans into Brayden until he falls over. It's almost admirable how he tries to get out of the no pushing rule, if it weren't so deceptive.) It's frustrating and I just feel bad for Brayden. (I'll admit there are days I feel bad for Gavin too, having his things destroyed. But seriously, if he'd share one or two of the 29 blocks, he could easily avoid Brady taking the bottom block out of his tower.)

It has come to my attention in the last few days that Brayden is beginning to fight back. I witnessed him stand in front of the big push dumptruck and refuse to move, even as Gavin tried to run him over. The look on Gavin's face was priceless as he turned to me with expectancy, "Mama? Baby move?" Like I should get Brayden out of the way because for the first time, merely running him over didn't produce the desired affect.

"Well, Gavin, that is Brayden's truck and he was there first." As Brayden whacks a perfectly timed button to honk the horn and emphasize my point, Gavin turned at looked at him, shocked. Then of course he had to cry about it.

The other day, when Gavin tried to sit on him in order to prevent him from crawling over to a favorite toy of theirs, Brayden wiggled out and in the process nailed Gavin with his foot. Of course this produced a beautiful rendition of the fake cry and feigned injury show Gavin has perfected. It's really quite breath-taking. (Literally, I have to take many deep breaths not just to say, "Knock it off already!") This time, I wanted to almost cheer for Brayden who had finally won the smackdown and sat playing happily with the toy in his hand as Gavin nursed his "wounded" elbow (by the way, Brayden nailed him in the leg).
All this to say, Brayden is moving up in the world. At times I am proud and excited for him, to coming into his own. Other times, I am nervous at this new found independance, because I see a child with a pretty strong will and quite a bit of stamina. His dedication to what he wants is far greater than Gavin's ever was. Gavin was truly a pretty easy child to teach to not touch, come to us, and listen. He didn't like the tone we used to tell him no and would cry if we used it. I knew it was too good to be true, because Brayden isn't headed down that road at all and I am not sure what to do. Brayden is a glutton for punishment and returns to the scene of his crimes more times than I am even willing to count. He can have his hand flicked, his body removed, or the object taken, but he goes after what he wants with a will and tenacity I am already concerned about. (Where he got this will is a question I choose not to ask.)

So, I have a whole new personality to learn, new methods are going to have to be put in place and I can't believe I am going to have to figure it out all over again! Not only that, I get to add in learning how to teach two kids to listen to me and to get along with each other. I get tired just thinking about it.

On the bright side, we do have our moments where it seems, miraculously, Gavin wants his brother to play with him and Brayden happily joins in the activity, all ready to show off what his big boy self can do. It is chaotic harmony to say the least, but it sure sounds better than the other options. And so I choose to take joy in the ten minutes a day my boys ride the dump truck together and the car rides where they have each other in hysterics. Hopefully, those ten minutes will grow to an hour and the hour to multiple hours and someday my prayer will be answered that they grow to be best friends.

I guess this also means I should be thankful that they are in their room as we speak, talking to each other, laughing and avoiding bedtime together. That's it boys...work as a team. I guess you have to start somewhere!

A Personal Day...

Maybe it was my fault, because I didn't close the door. But today, just as I sat on the toilet, Gavin decided he needed to use his potty too.

"Mama, Gavy big poo-poos...potty."

"Do you need to use the potty?"

"Yeah"

I figure, this is good, he's interested (no he's not potty trained, long story, hopefully soon). I didn't smell any poo-poos, so I figure we're safe. I start to take off the diaper and sure enough, BIG poo poos. Awesome. So, here I am, on my potty, trying to re-tape his diaper, pull up my pants, and run him to the changing table to clean up. In the meantime, Brayden sees us go and takes the opportunity to head straight for the toilet paper roller to unroll the toilet paper (he'd do this all day, if you let him).

After cleaning the diaper, Gavin decides he still needs the potty. Not wanting to discourage him from potty usage, even though I am positive he is not going to go, I let him sit on it and begin re-rolling the toilet paper Brayden had attacked. Thus begins a few rounds of Gavin running off of the potty and when I go to put on his diaper, he runs back yelling, "No mama, more potty."

Finally, I decide we're done and chase my naked child around the house to get the diaper back on. To be honest, this is rare for Gavin, but fitting for today. During this whole episode, Brayden has meandered back to the toilet paper roll as many times as possible before I can catch him. I have re-rolled the paper about 5 times and flicked his hand just as many. This always stopped Gavin, first time. Brayden either has skin of steal or truly just doesn't care, because thus far, he is one stubborn, defiant little guy. And so, now I have a mound of toilet paper on the ground, one child in no pants and one clawing at my leg to get back to the toilet paper mound.

Somehow, we pull it together and got out of the house for a McDonalds date. Here's the thing: I am SO excited to get to McDonalds. Oh, but how the mighty have fallen. When did McDonalds become my saving grace? This is when I realize I want a personal day. (I also realized, I had still not gone to the bathroom.)

I want a moment to think. I want to drive in the car and listen to my favorite song, without having to listen to a running commentary of all the cars on the road, the directions my child wants to go and the people he wants to see. I want to go to a resteraunt, that is NOT McDonalds and not have to pause in conversation to make my child spit, into my hand, a fry he found on the ground and put in his mouth. (Yes, this happened. Gross.) I want to go to the car, carrying only my purse and not two coats, one diaper bag, one blanket, one child and three thomas trains. And more than anything I want to pee in private.

Unfortunately, as a mom you don't get to call in sick, you don't get to flex-time and you can't just make a call and take a personal day on a whim. It's not in the contract. The medical benefits of parenting usually stink too. Puke, ERs, long nights and lots of worry. The salary is non-existant and the hours, well...ridiculous.

In the end, we do it for the Bonus. Seeing our kids grow up and getting to watch it happen. Is it worth it. Yes. Of course. But on days like today...well, I just want to make the call and get my personal day...or at least pee in private.

A day at the park with our friend Noah...walking over the bridge, I thought they were so cute!

Gavin's first trip on a Ferry boat. It was a date day with mommy, Auntie B and Cousin Maryn.

Mare-Mare and Auntie B.


Gavin and Maryn, waiting for their ship to come in.

This way

Gavin has become a backseat driver. "Mama, this way" he shouts and pionts out one window or another.
"Excuuuuuse me?" When did you even get the notion that you had any opinion in where we go or how we get there? Even better, he honestly gets frustrated when I turn the opposite direction of where ever "this way" was.
"No mama...this waaaaay."
"No Gavin, Mommy is going this way."
"Mamaaaaa"
"Gaaaaaavin." I don't really reduce myself to whining his name back at him (maybe once) but I want to. Are you kidding? Child, you are two and a half and to spite the fact that it truly seems you have a better sense of direction than your mother...I am still behind the wheel and darn it! And so it goes with parenting. He says "this way" and I have to teach him, buddy, whether you like it or not, we're going "that way." Sometimes, we want to head the same direction and sometimes we're gonna disagree. But for now, I am going to win. And hopefully, one day we'll just agree...we're going my way kiddo!

my baby

Brayden. My baby. They say time goes fast and with him I feel it is warp speed. Not only do the days go quickly, but in keeping up with his brother, Brady is way ahead of where I thought he'd be. He is usually content where he is at, discovering his little world and thrilled to be with people. Meanwhile Gavin is at a stage that requires an obscene amount of instruction, direction and question answering. And so, quite often, Brayden is left alone. (Of course not entirely, he is supervized, but you get the idea.) Then, when I turn to help him out or give him a hand and I realize, he no longer needs it. He just smiles and does things himself. I want to yell..."Stop! You're my baby!" He isn't supposed to do these things without me or teach them to himself!!!

His first steps have occured and I feel like I should still be waiting on them. He is trying to put his shoes on his feet and I am wondering when he stopped eating his feet. He signs more for his food and I am thinking, you just started eating food! With so many diapers to change, so many time outs to enforce, meals to make and noses to wipe, sometimes I feel like I am missing his big moments. I think I saw his first step, but did I? Did he sneak little steps in when I wasn't looking? With the first child, you are constantly watching for that "first" everything! It's your focus, your goal. You almost push it on them. "I think I see a tooth...wait, that's a piece of Kix cereal." With Brayden, I barely caught his first tooth, when I realized, "Hey, there are four teeth coming in here. Way to go little man!"

I worry he'll feel left out or that he'll think being the second child, he got the short end of the stick. This is silly. I know he doesn't realize I may not notice his first everything and he has no idea that I am constantly shocked by all he can do. He never says, "Mom, you didn't know...Mom come look...or Mom I already told you." I guess the real problem is I feel left out. Like he's taking it upon himself to grow up and leaving me behind.

He is just about one now. Nearly daily, I look down to see his sweet face, with those big blue eyes, smiling up at me in anticipation of some attention and I have to hold back a bittersweet sigh. I hope he knows how precious he is to me. How excited I am about all his firsts. How thrilled I am to see a genuine individual emerging. How thankful I am for his little snuggles, his easy going temperment, and his nearly constant smile. How it cracks me up that he is always trying to do things he is just not big enough for...but is determined to conquer.

I always struggled with the whole bit about "raising kids to leave you," I just really thought I would have awhile before I really had to deal with it. It turns out I was wrong. I am finding out the parenting business teaches you are wrong about many things....I am just bummed this is one of them. Couldn't I have been wrong about how much I thought kids would cost? Nope, it had to be something bigger. I was wrong about how soon I would feel they are headed into that great big world. Brayden's first steps made me feel like he's nearly out the door.

Wait up little buddy. I really don't think you are ready yet. And I know I'm not!

"small" group

Our church is doing a 40 day series on LOVE and has asked everyone to join a small group for the 6 week series. My ex-co-worker at church, asked if Shawn and I would just meet up with them on Tuesdays for dinner and to do a really small group. She is obviously at the church a lot (she still works there) and I still volunteer there and we are in a class there on Sunday nights. So we thought this might be a way to make it just a little quicker.
Here's the deal. I didn't realize how much I missed her and how much I miss working alongside her until we did "small group". It is most definately NOT quicker. I get to see my friend again and talk about grown up things!!! I am talking to her and I am not in the car. No one is interrupting me to ask for more milk. No one is holding onto my leg. No one needs their diaper changed or a nap. (Well, the last one there is debatable, but you get my drift.)
Sometimes, I feel bad. She is an incredible person who juggles so much in life. Not only does she work full-time at the church (which by the way is like holding two full time jobs and being a counselor on the side) but she is raising two incredibley amazing kids and supporting her husband in his business. She doesn't have a great deal of time to be doing this. But mostly, I feel grateful. She comes in smiling, and reaching out to hug my son, always. No matter what craziness her day held, she smiles her smile and makes things better for those around her. She listens as I fall off topic, she laughs at my lame jokes, and she tolerates my general need to use so many words a day.
I don't miss working per se, but I miss her. (Sidenote: I also miss the other people and the bottomless coffee our secretary made for the staff's caffine issues.) And when the six weeks are up, we'll still talk and see each other, probably often. And sometimes, I bet we'll even get to have a real conversation about God, life and relationships for over five minutes without a little voice, another phonecall, or a motherly duty interrupting. But for now I get a weekly gift, of conversation and coffee with my dear friend. It's God's little reminder that He's looking out for me right when I need it most!

Little Men

I am raising little men. There are days I wish for infanthood again (just proving, God miraculously wipes our memories of the nighttime feedings and blowout diapers). Just for a few minutes to hold the little, ball like baby up against my chest. To put on the tiny diapers. To brush my cheeks against the soft "foo" hair. But it is not to be. Those days are gone and I now have one toddler and one...well, I am not sure. Our family still refers to Brayden as "baby," but as he walks his dumptruck down the hall and starts babbling with dramatic hand gestures, showing off his big boy teeth he just acquired, I am pretty sure he is not a baby. (His food consumption alone would prove this point. He eats more than his mom.)

As a parents, we are raising our kids for the future. We are teaching them things today, so they will survive in the world tomorrow. Sometimes I struggle with this so much. I want to savor their cute baby antics, at the same time knowing, I am the one who is responsible to stop them. I am the one to teach gavin to drink from a big boy cup and it is time to put your "froggy milk" away. I am the one who has to stop Brayden from touching the wine glasses no matter how much the clinking of them hitting each other makes you burst into giggles. I have to take the pacifier away and sequester blanky to room time only, even if it causes you tears. I am the one who says that you have to walk instead of being carried, though I want to hold you to me forever!

It's hard. But God is teaching me to take joy in the glimpses of the men you will become. Watching Gavin kiss Brayden with the salutation "Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you, Jesus loves you...night night." To see Brayden signing "more" for the first time and he learns to politely ask for food. Having Gavin throw his hand out to stop me from crossing the street, because I did not look for "cars coming". Seeing Brayden clap after he puts his blocks back in their tub. These are successes. These are the little men I am praying they will become.

And so, I try not to grieve the growing process, but appreciate it. I try not to be sad at the memories, but be thankful for the moments. And I try to appreciate each season, because all too soon they won't be "little" men anymore.

Mostly dad...

Sometimes I think Gavin is mostly his dad. He loves to eat. He loves to sleep. He does not wake up quickly. He loves to dance (and his lack of coordination does not prohibit him from giving it his all). He likes to run around in just a diaper (okay...so Shawn doesn't wear a diaper, but he does like his boxers). He'd take 5 showers a day if you let him. He loves to play. He likes treats. He wants to watch basketball on TV. He loves music. And he loves the outdoors.
Not to say I don't like any of these things, music, the outdoors, etc...but Gavin likes them in the same way his dad does. I can't truly put it into words, but there are days, when I look at him (oh yeah, everyone says he looks just like his dad too) and I think...I know I birthed you, so really, could you just pretend you got some of my DNA? Put on your clothes, stop dancing in your diaper and get over here!!! If he weren't so dang cute about it...I'd go insane (another thing he picked up from his father).
Yesterday, I saw some of me. I asked Gavin to get ready to go and he started to clean up his trains right away. I said it's time to get down from the table and he said, "But mama, wipe wipe wipe." I was in the bathroom and I heard a voice yell from across the house "Mom, whereareyou?" Brayden was playing around and accidentally kicked Gavin and he said, "No kicking baby."This was not what I was hoping for. My son has become a clean freak, who yells across the house instead of finding people and he's bossy. Great. I'll start writing my parenting book today.
It makes sense. I spend my days correcting, instructing, directing, and and redirecting. I think somedays I say his name a million times.
"Gavin stop."
"Gavin don't."
"Gavin clean up."
"Gavin be nice to your brother."
"Gavin where are you?"
"Gavin go to your room till you get a happy heart."
This is the plight of a mom. We know this is not all we do during the day, in our heads. But at the end of the day, you it can get to you. When I see Gavin doing my job, cleaning up his brothers "Spitters" or parenting Brayden in "No kicking" my heart sinks a little. Gavin is a two year old sponge. I know he needs to learn the things I am teaching him, but I also know I want to be intentional about his days being filled with creativity as well as order, with silliness as well as seriousness, and with praise as well as instruction.
I can tell you right now, you will not see me dancing around in boxers, but I am going to practice more airguitar with Gavin. We are going to spend more time reading books with Brayden and less time fighting over toys. We will color more and clean less. Mom is going to sit down with the choochoo trains and let the laundry wait. And I will do my best to use his name in praise more than I do in instruction.
"I like how you did that Gavin."
"Way to go Gavin."
"Good sharing Gavin."
"I love you Gavin."

Just Fine

So, last night, Gavin had yet another trip to the ER. Asthma, no, not this time. His hip. Apparently, when he was attending "Bring a Friend Night" at Little Gym, he fell and couldn't walk more than two steps without falling down. Shawn brought him home and waited it out for two hours and when he still couldn't walk, decided it's best to go in. Rightly so. (Can I just make a small mention here, that when you pull up to the ER and your child gets excited to see the Nemo fish, you know you have been there one too many times). Anyway...I was at church, so I didn't get the news until 3 hours later that everything was fine. A strained hip, but he'll be "Just fine".

Here is what I struggle with. Of course I don't want to have my child with a broken, sprained or hurt leg. It made me so sad I wasn't there to comfort him and of course I went into mom mode on the phone with Shawn..."Is he still crying? Should I come? How does he limp? What do you mean falls...is that like crumples to the ground, or just kinda collpases?" However, when I heard he is "just fine", my first thought was...we just spent how much to find out nothing is wrong? We don't even get a free dose of tylonol? My second thought...Wow! I can't believe I just thought that, praise God nothing is wrong and Lord help me!

Between Brayden and Gavin this month we have paid ridiculous amounts in co-pays, met all our deductables and will have a disturbing amount of bills headed our way. Here's the kicker...they are healthy kids. And as I considered my embarrassing reaction to finding out Gavin was "just fine" (although I still think they could have at least given the kid some tylonol) I also thought about how fortunate I am that my money was spent to find that out! My kids are okay and I can sleep at night. They will get up and play tomorrow, they will see their friends, eat their lunch, take their nap, play with their trains and quite possibley have a melt down or two in between. I know this, because they are just fine. And I am grateful.

It was a good lesson to learn. An expensive lesson? Yes. Do I want to learn it again? No. However, I have a feeling with these two, I will. But if that is what it takes to help me realize the amount of goodness God has brought into my life then so be it. Bring on the ER, bring on the nemo fish. I'll take them anyday...as long as I can take my kids home and they are "just fine."

I promise I don't.

Today's sermon was on love. One of the major bullet points was that loves shows itself by time given. I am sure we have all heard it said one way or another: if you look at your life and figure out where you spend most of your time, you will find out your priorities. We SHOULD be giving time to our priorities...loving them. Like our husband, kids, families, relationships, etc..
I thought about this. What is it I do most during the week? And my first thought made me shutter...I decided my Pastor had to be wrong.
I love my Pastor. I worked with him for years. I adore him. But let me tell you what mister. I do not love the laundry. The sermon needs to be edited ammended or something, because the minutes I spend collecting, washing, folding, and sorting add up. And I know in my heart of hearts, there is no secret burning passion I have for the smell of ALL detergent or Bounce fabric softner. In fact, I cannot say there are many things I truly hate, but if I did, I actually think laundry would be there.
So what am I to do? Is there a biblical answer for this? I'm not sure. I don't want to be one of those people who complains about the sermon every week, but I will say this. Pastor, you have to be wrong somewhere. Because I don't love the laundry. I promise I don't.

Todays Dad

Shawn came running to me today, holding Brayden under the armpits and as far away from him as possible..."Hey Hol, he had some D, I'll take care of it, just hold him. I gotta fast forward through the sharks! Quick!" Yes sir! To the Batmobile, Robin!!!
Seriously, Brayden has had a reaction to his meds and went through 20 diapers yesterday, all of them "D" as Shawn calls it. His bum is bright red and he wails every time it's touched. Gavin is has been back on his nebulizer with a horrible cough and wants to watch Nemo everytime he gets a treatment. However, he is afraid of the Sharks and about 15 other scenes in the movie. And my partner in life was on it this weekend.
He changed the diapers, did the baking soda baths for sore bums, fast forwarded the Sharks, filled up the nebulizer, bought the pedialite, got the prescriptions, cued up Clifford, ran a few errands for me and caught the family up on finances. All the while, he was sick to.
And here's the thing. As a mom who stays home, sometimes I think to myself..."So what? I do it everyday all day, plus some." But as I watched Shawn this weekend, I was impressed. This is a man, who used to get a cold and just stay in bed. (I do not say this as a put down, but just a reality.) He had no reason not to. A man who treasures sleep...and needs it. A man who works two jobs. A man who has little spare time and when he does, it is usually scheduled with some family function. A man who has a wife who can have some pretty steep expectations. A man who is tired.
This weekend, this man worked his hiney off with two sick kids. He was up early and down late. He slept in the other room (cause his wife begged him to stop snoring or take the couch). He surpassed expectations. And he did it all without complaining. And tomorrow, he will get up and go back to "work" with people who think he had the weekend off.
I can't say there won't be another time where I take it for granted. But today, I don't. Today I am thankful for what a magnificent father my children have and what an awesome husband I have! Today I am impressed by his love for his family, his work ethic and his attitude. Today, I realize that not putting his shoes in the closet isn't that big a deal (sidenote: I may not feel this way tomorrow) and that if the dishes don't make it to the dishwasher, it's not the end of the world. Today I am grateful for the wrestling with my sons and the laughter he elicites from them, even though it means I am the one cleaning the toys and wiping down the highchairs. Today, I appreciate the corny jokes he makes to lighten my "mood", his love of singing (even though he has the inability to get any of the words right), and his passion for dreaming really big dreams that my type A personality cannot wrap it's mind around.
All this makes me think, I look forward to when the boys are older and I can tell them all about their daddy today.