monday's musings...

...'cause i forgot on friday.
things i am loving about this week:

1. washing produce when i get home from the grocery store and putting it in the refrigerator or nice little reusable storage containers.  i don't know why...it just make me happy.
2. kyle and the kids working to fold the mountain of laundry i have been avoiding all week.
3. harper and merriwether exchanging letters in the mail.
4. getting to have a lunch with my sister-in-law during the week. 
5. my kids having someone praise their behavior...i wish people understood what a boost it is for their character and motivation it is for them to hear positive feedback.  i asked the lady if she would repeat what she said to me to the kids because i make them take responsibility for their poor choices and i only think it is right if they get to take responsibility for their good ones as well...
6. sarah's bridal shower...loved having a chance to celebrate the upcoming wedding of this awesome couple as well as feeling so grateful to be where we are with this awesome family....such a testimony of God's faithfulness and i am always humbled by it.
7. little harper.  she is just so amazing.  smart, funny, compassionate, and generous....i see a million ways throughout the week.
8. hearing myself say things that i should never have to say such as, "harper, please do not eat out of the trashcan."  "why are you scratching your tongue?" "it is time for bed; not for riding your brother like a horse!" "please don't play with that lizard's eye ball."  
9. lecturing my kids and suddenly having flashbacks to lectures with my father...he always had a way of saying things that were just too funny and made us laugh and all the while he was being serious.  kyle just looks at me and tries not to laugh and then the kids just lose it...
10. our church offering a gluten free option for communion...what a gift it is to be a part of the body of Christ that recognizes the needs of that body! we have several people within our church that are gluten free and our church has taken steps and then even further steps to make sure that my husband, my son, and all of our fellow gluten free people can partake in this sacrament...beautiful.
11. hope.  hope for my brother...freedom.  i am holding fast to the beautiful testimony that is being written in his life!
12. finding out that old and distant, but still very much loved, are having their very first baby!  (this made my day beth lake!) so very happy for you both!
13. talking openly with calvary about asperger's.  i want him to understand what it is and how he is affected by it-- both the limitations and the areas where he will excel-- my prayer is that in understanding how he is neuro-different will be empowering and freeing...
14. oliver jack picking out candy for each of the kids with kyle...he even knew that he couldn't get calvary sour punch straws because they were not gluten free before kyle even could check!  he pays such attention to his siblings...
15. finley mirroring.  she is copying the people around her more and more and it is hilarious to see her perception of each of us.
16. re-usable k-cups...good grief it is expensive to have coffee with a keurig! 
17. writing.  sometimes i feel like i struggle with communicating my heart to people...i can be silly or i can be serious but i have a hard time accepting a compliment or transitioning a conversation to matters that are personal to my heart.  writing is liberating for me.  i can write how i feel and utilize the transparency that i crave instead of hiding behind silliness or behind mothering.  i can be real. 
18. my wednesday afternoon runs with dalila!  it has been so awesome developing a friendship with her and i am so grateful for knowing her :)
19. mr. levi's sweet gift of a bird house and bird feeder for our back yard.  he really does love us....way way way deep down. 
20. focusing on the little moments that make this life so precious...