friday's musings...

things i am loving about this week:

1. finally getting back to real life...i still feel pulled in so many different directions...but i feel like i am starting to get back to normal.
2. oliver jack playing with calvary instead of watching tv today when calvary had lost his tv privileges...i was grateful for that moment to be able to point out how nice it is to have a little brother...
3. calvary praying that his sunflowers will grow...those little guys are busting out with gusto!  i am almost as excited as he is to see them completely grown.
4. new flowers in my window box.
5. the enormous amount of blooms starting to peek out of my hydrangeas...every time i see them i think about the message of how pruning is a necessary part of life in order to produce fruit...what a sweet reminder in this season of our lives.
6. making friendship bracelets with harper.  it is hard for me to believe that she is big enough to be able to handle more complicated crafts but it is exciting as well...it won't be long before we are working on big things together.
7. how this month marks the last month of school!  i have loved homeschooling, but i am ready for a break!  i am ready to just play...this beautiful weather has me ready to spend all day at the pool, park, and just be outside playing and enjoying the easiness of a summer schedule.
8. having family over for dinner.  it is nice to share our table with friends and family.
9. my kids getting older and having deeper teachable moments with them.
10. the outpouring of generosity and support we have received through our donation marketplace on facebook.  
11. going grocery shopping...i haven't been grocery shopping in 4 weeks...unbelievable...all we have done is picked up a few things here and there...but today was the day when our shelves were filled.  
12. all the green in our yard...the woods in our backyard are starting to fill in but they are not out of control yet...the grass is starting to fill in but it is not so rampant that it is difficult to keep up with the mowing...
13. watching the blue birds fill their nests and take care of their babies...
14. having the quiet time of finley's nap to sit, rest, and catch up with the details of life.  
15. having strangers commend my children for their behavior.  those moments are sweet for all of us...my kids are proud...and i am proud of them...i love those moments...i assure you that there are also many moments where we are not spoken to commending behavior...but this week has been a good one.
16. mailing t shirts to people who have bought them.  
17. realizing just how much my children have learned this year.  i am proud of their accomplishments and how hard they have worked.  
18. watching calvary teach oliver jack school...it is so sweet to watch him "act" like a teacher and it is just as sweet to watch oliver jack respond to him.
19. harper telling calvary how amazed she is at his math abilities...i love when they build each other up...
20. oliver jack waking up yesterday morning and realizing that finley was snuggled up to him...he smiled so big and then laid as still as possible so not to disturb her.  he would bend down and kiss her cheek and then turn and grin at me...probably one of my forever moments...