The Calendar Says...

This morning my calendar says....soccer, soccer and more soccer. Yet, due to the rain the soccer tournament is canceled for the weekend. The first time in four years!! I am a little ashamed to admit a part of me was quite giddy when I found out yesterday. A whole day with nothing scheduled. Wow!!!

This morning my house is quiet and there is a whole 24 hours in front of me with nothing planned. A precious gift of time. How should I spend it? What should I do? Please know that my list of things that should be done is a mile long....clean my bathrooms, finish the laundry, finish up school work for the week, take a bulldozer to my daughter's and my son's bedroom and really to my bedroom, weed the flower bed, and on and on. But somehow it seems a shame to do those things on this golden day.

Let me explain....our lives are filled to the brim. We know we are busy. We have even been taking a few hours off Mondays to slow down as a family. We have virtually eliminated TV. But, the reality of four children, David working full-time, me working part-time, homeschooling our children, and of course soccer makes our cup pretty full.

It is dawning on me slowly, simmering like a pot of soup on a cold day, filling my senses with a pleasing aroma. I have a GREAT LIFE!! Really, really, really!!! I have a GREAT LIFE!!!!

Yesterday I was hanging out with my Friday Friends and we were talking about being thankful for everything. Some of the ladies even made a list of the things they were thankful for (I did not....I was too busy...LOL).

As I sit here and think about my 24 hour gift of time...maybe just maybe I need to have an attitude check and begin to be thankful for every aspect of my life. Maybe I have been so focused on the busyness that I have forgotten to smell the roses.

Maybe I need to approach this 24 hours as if it were my last. If it were, how would I spend it? Life is fragile, fleeting, beautiful and I think I'm going to start my free day by heading to my back porch to hang out with my Creator and be thankful!!!!

Please Pray!!

This is my dear friend Renee. We met Renee when she was in middle school many years ago. Our relationship with Renee grew through the years as she loved on our kids and became one of their babysitters. Who am I kidding? She had a card at church to pick up our kids because I was always talking. Our daughter Clara is named after her...Clara Renee Smith.

Fast forward to today...Renee is mother to two beautiful children as you can see from this picture. This past week I found out Renee has Breast Cancer, a rare and aggressive type. She is entering the fight of her life. She is so young and this has already been a difficult year for her prior to this!!!

So, as you read this, please pray for my dear friend and for her family as they prepare to fight!!!

Two peas in a pod!!

Our kids are enjoying spending time together. Some days they have so much fun together. Some days they fight like cats and dogs.

Or in the case of these, it's a dog fight all the way. These two children of mine are so alike it is scary!!! Even though they are seven years apart in age, they seem more like twins many days. Little E looks and acts more like his sister every day.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Work

Yesterday me and the kids were headed to work when Clara lost a tooth. She desperately needed a paper towel to stop the flow of blood gushing from her mouth (that might be overstated). Of course we had recently cleaned out the car and there was nothing to use to stop said blood flow. So, much to my chagrin I agreed to stop at Starbucks, conveniently located on the corner, to let her run in to get a paper towel. I firmly stated (well maybe stated in a raised voice) that we would not be purchasing any coffee. NO COFFEE...do you hear me people?

So, while we wait for Clara to run in and grab her paper towel, I noticed that smoke was beginning to pour from my hood....holy smoke. So of course I do exactly what I should do and call dear husband (did I mention he was home sick from work) to come check out the car. After about two minutes waiting for hubby to arrive, I make an executive decision. I unloaded my crew and headed into Starbucks to do school. And, of course buy a round for everyone. I will refrain from mentioning the unreasonable amount of money I spent on beverages for me and my four children.

It took about an hour and a half for hubby to take car to shop and get back to Starbucks to pick us up. Might I say that may have been the most fun and relaxing school time we have had to date. The kids thought it was a treat. I was in my happy place!!! I seriously wonder if they pipe in some relaxation-induced drugs through their air vent system OR maybe it is just the heavenly smell of coffee.

Sometimes life throws us a surprise and we just have to savor the moment. My four year old is eager to tell everyone that he did school at Starbucks last night!!!

Wednesday Recap

Noah built a log cabin because he had been studying about Abraham Lincoln.

Elijah loves to wash dishes...he's the only one in the house who loves to wash dishes.

Clara is the professional duster.

Hannah sweeps up the trash!!

Not pictured: Clara scored a goal on a free kick in her soccer game. It was a seriously pretty kick...wish I had a video!!