Walkin on Sunshine!

Tonight I tucked my four little monkeys into bed. Each one clung to me like super glue. With their little stick like arms hanging on to me and their sweet hair in my nose, I honestly didn't want to go anywhere. But eventually the bedtime circus ends, they prayers are said, the teeth are brushed and my babies are floating off to slumberland. I walked down the stairs and as usual my ankle popped, my hip ached and my sacrum wobbled. I smiled and thought about how the little creaks in my body are relics of pregnancies from the most amazing little people in the world. Right now, at this very hectic time in my life (schedule wise) they all love me so overwhelmingly and beautifully. They want to be with me, they treasure moments alone with me... all four of them at the same time! Yes, really four kids who can't have enough of me. I feel like some kind of competition for Taylor Swift in this house. It's like I'm a rockstar or a chocolatier or a person who makes animal balloons. Why am I so popular? It blows my mind but it's true. It's really quite a miracle (considering I frequently go on diva like screaming rampages about people being too slow or taking my stuff or leaving goop for me to step in) and I'm thankful. A little birds eye view of my life: Hazel is comfort nursing while she teethes (ouch!). Eden is a tween and I'm having all of those interesting conversations like what ovaries are with her. Kaitlyn is teetering between the innocent little mess maker (yes goop in the floor!) and the cognizant child (cleaner upper of own messes). She's trying to figure it out but keeps tripping. Nick is jumping into school with both feet and learning so fast but needs so much one on one time which we love but have to work so hard to make happen. I have all of these spelling lists, reading logs, tests to study for, after school activities and SOMEONE just can't stand for anything to be left in my cabinets, dresser drawers or laundry baskets, makes huge messes when eating anything, poops in diapers and nurses never endingly! It just goes with the territory I suppose but I honestly never thought I'd be multi tasking at the level I am right now and yet still be filled the gift of love from so many quarters that my cup runs over. Husband, children, parents, siblings, friends, in-laws. I'm just amazed. I'm holding on and I'm loving this. I probably seem like I'm always complaining to people but really I'm just talking my way through the most mind blowing experience imaginable. Life is like your own little movie and sometimes you just can't believe how many tiny little pieces make it all up. This will seem rather ramshackle but I'm going to just say go and try to list off 20 blessings in the last week as fast as I can! I am not going to include the wonderful phone calls, emails and personal chats and visits I have with all of my friends on a regular basis. That would make it all too numerous! And I think I do a pretty good job of letting people know I truly cherish those blessings of friendship! Go! 1. Wink offered a temporary home to my family of SIX if we don't find a house to buy before our lease is up. I can't say that we would ever accept the overwhelmingly generous offer unless our situation was completely dire but I'm overwhelmed by the generosity. 2. I sold my friend Bart's car and she insisted I keep way too much money from the whole transaction. 3. Jody's mom just sent ANOTHER giant box of adorable clothes for my ridiculously blessed children and an AWESOME pair of jeans for me that are one of my favorite brands along with some cute shirts (she says I'm the daughter she never had and I hope nobody ever takes my place! LOL!). 4. My sister sent me a coffee grinder. Out of the clear blue... I guess she got sick of helping my broken one cripple along for the two weeks per year that she is here. I wonder if she will buy me a new bathroom scale next. 5. Jody took Kait mountain biking for her first time and she loved it. They had ice-cream together afterwards and she seemed to be floating on air. 6. My mom offered to come watch the kids if I get to go visit Bart in Israel. Such great grandparents my kids have! 7. Kait made me breakfast in bed on Sunday! 8. Hazel hugs me and kisses me and waves from the loft when she's upstairs and smiles so big her nose wrinkles. 9. Eden and I went out for coffee tonight and she told me it was "awesome" and that she will talk to me about everything whenever she has sick days at school (whatever that means!). 10. I took the kids to Wink and MJ's farm today and the girls climbed a cottonwood tree so high my knees got weak. 11. I got tons of honey crisp apples in the cull section at the grocery store 6 for $1 and I LOVE honey crisp apples but never buy them they're so darn expensive! 12. Jody's Aunt MaryLu sent us a great book with 40 days of prayer for the nation. We can't wait to start it! 13. I made Jody's tea and he hasn't had a pop in at least three days. I'm on a roll, gotta keep him off the cancer juice! 14. I also scored a super pretty hydrangea in the clearance section at KS and am loving watering it and loving on it. It blesses me every day to have it around. 15. I walked three days last week and it felt so great! I am loving being on a somewhat regular walking schedule. 16. The girls schedules got meshed so Eden and Kait have karate and volleyball practice on the same nights twice a week. Such a huge blessing. 17. Jody is taking both girls to above said practices and it's really special to all of us especially since we love to have family dinners. 18. We have family dinners at least 5 times per week and I think that's probably above the national norm and we love them. 19. My neighbor Christine got me started having each family member share a rose and a thorn at dinner. I love this part of the day so much. I find out little things probably nobody would have told me otherwise. 20. My friend Jenn has been bringing me fresh herbs. Despite being too much of a skunk to plant any, I have unlimited access to fresh basil and rosemary which I'm hopelessly addicted to. Plus Wink gave us a very cool Japanese radish to try! Love fresh blessings! Hm, wow that took about 30 seconds apiece I think. And now I can see what a beautiful life I have. Mmm, that's good! Muah!