It's the little things...

Sorry about the delay on a new post, but it has been a very busy week that included : 2 days of 9 week testing, 1 School Project, 2 basketball games, 3 dance classes, 1 Scout Project, 1 Boy Scout Merit Badge Class, 1 Achievement Night Activity, 2 Birthday Parties, and 1 eye doctor appointment that led to my 11 year-old now wearing contacts! Whew!

In the midst of all the craziness of the week.... I had time to reflect on a couple of little things that happened. Little things that it turns out...provided BIG rewards!

It all began on Sunday. We had wonderful lessons and talks at church. I went home feeling much better about myself than when I came. This is not only because of the great messages presented, but because for the first time since I can remember, I sat on the pew through the entire meeting. I never had to get up with a fussy child, or take someone to the bathroom, or run up and down the halls chasing an out -of- control toddler. I know it seems like a ridiculously simple thing... but I have almost forgotten how nice it is to sit through church and not be the loudest, most disruptive pew in the chapel. I will gladly relinquish that title.

Because the week has been busy and we have lived in the car ...Claire has not had as much "alone" time in her room. By this I mean she has not had time to "destroy" her room. The clothes are still hanging on the hangers in her closet. The socks are still in the sock drawer. The leotards are still in the leotard drawer. The baby dolls, pocketbooks, Cd's, and books are still miraculously in the same place I put them. For those of you who know my Claire, you know that neat and orderly are not words I use to describe her. She has lots of wonderful qualities, but clean and tidy she is not! Again, a simple thing.... but not having to clean, straighten, refold, and rehang everything has been a joy I cannot describe!

Probably the biggest "little thing" happened this morning. When I woke up this morning my clock said 8:00 am. When I got out of the bed it was 8:30 am. Huge thing to me!!! I can't remember when I have been able to sleep past 7:00am. My children don't believe in sleep. They don't believe in naps, or quiet time, or resting, or even sleeping in there own bed until they are about eight. For almost twelve years now I have been sleep walking. I am not like those whom I gave birth to or married . I looove sleep. I loooove naps, and quiet time and sleeping in my own bed. I enjoy being able to go to bed and not get up until I am ready to get up. That never happens in my house. Until today. We all slept in. (Well, Claire was up earlier, but she quietly entertained herself until the rest of us were up.) Cole had crawled into our bed in the middle of the night and had made himself quite comfortable in a "take up the whole bed, put his feet in my face" kind of way. Chad had relocated himself to the couch. ( We have been playing musical beds for the past 12 years too!) Just the fact that I was unaware that Cole was in my bed until he was squished up beside me is a monumental occasion! It was a few weeks ago that he was still calling out to us in the middle of the night, "Help! Help! Get me out of here!" Last nights arrival to our room was much less dramatic. I also survived the usual heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and anxiety that come from hearing your child scream out in the middle of deep, REM sleep. Injuries were also avoided that can sometimes be sustained. These are usually due to jumping up quickly and running blindly down a dark hall to rescue a small child in need of immediate assistance. I feel like a new woman today! Is it possible we could be entering a new phase that could include more mornings like this one? I don't think I am ready to count on that just yet, but today I am grateful for the almost eight hours of uninterrupted sleep I received.

*Sitting through an entire church service.
*Having a child's room stay clean and straight for more than 5 minutes.
*Getting 8+ hours of uninterrupted sleep.
*Sleeping in 'til 8:30.
Such little things... but ones that make such a big difference!