Six on Saturday

Woo-hoo! Two weeks in a row. I think we might have stumbled onto a system that works here folks....

Things that made me happy this week:

1. Modern Medicine/Health Insurance

This week I have been sick with another sinus infection and a double ear infection. It's mostly just annoying the crap out of me. I haven't had so much as a sniffle for over a year and then I've had two sinus infections this year! And it's March people! It's really irritating. 

Anyway, off rant on to the gratitude part. I am very grateful that I have a doctor (that I like) to prescribe an antibiotic to kick the sinus infections trash and health insurance so that I can afford to go see him and get the medicine.  

2. Kneader's

Just like last month when I was sick I am loving all the yummy soups at Kneader's and that they are a five minute drive from my house... and that they have a drive through window.

3. Myra and Candice

These are some of my knitting friends and on Monday we had a knitting play date. Oh and we let the kids hang out together too. I had so much fun and they are one of the reasons I am most looking forward to moving back to my dad's when we are remodeling the house.

4. My son

This kid just makes me smile. He walked into the room where I was lying on the couch and feeling horrible, and asked if he could get me anything. He's been so concerned about me and wants to help make me as comfortable as possible. I smiled and said, "Oh Jake. What am I going to do with you?" He thought about if for a moment and then replied, "Shave my head, slap a fake mustache on me and send me off to boarding school?" His quick wit often takes me by surprise and I laughed and laughed. And laughter is some pretty great medicine...

5. My fighting skills

No, I haven't taken up cage matches or bare knuckle brawling. 

What I mean is the skill set that Brian and I have spent years honing called "how to fight fair". And while it doesn't make me happy at the time of the argument, I am always grateful for our communication skills that allow us to have disagreements, deal with them and get back to regularly scheduled life in a relatively short amount of time. 

A couple of weeks ago we had a little spat (over who knows what now) just as it was time to put the children to bed. Things got a little heated for a few minutes and then we settled down and talked out whatever the problem was, and twenty minutes later he was tucking the children into bed and I was doing up some dishes. He told me later that as he was tucking Jake into bed, Jake expressed concern that we had been fighting. Brian took the opportunity to talk to him about the fact that parents can have disagreements and get frustrated with each other, but that it doesn't mean that we don't still love and respect each other. Jake digested that information with his usual seriousness and then told his dad, "Okay. But just so you know, from what I heard just now... Mom is way more mature than you are."

SEE! 

I've been telling him that myself for years now... 

6. Special Days Out

I really ought to come up with a more catchy title... but this is what we've got so far.

It just so happens we have a perfect amount of people to make this work in our family without having to do any difficult juggling. Brian and I switch off each month, and then we rotate through the kids every three months and it works out beautifully.

In January Brian and Jake went to the car show and had a blast.

 Last month Evie and I went to get her hair trimmed and then to lunch and a movie.

 This month it was Daddy and Lila's turn.

They went to breakfast at Hi-hop (IHOP) and then went shopping for new church shoes and tights. Brian also got her some little flower earrings to wear with her Easter dress, and he did good! Lila had a blast hanging out with her Daddy and getting to have Mac'n Cheese for breakfast.

Next month is Jake and me. I'm already trying to plan something that will be at least as cool as the car show...

 And Evie can not wait until her turn in May with her Daddy. In fact the day we got back from our special time she said, "I can't wait until it's my turn again! Because next time I get to go out with Daddy!" I won't deny that stung for a second, but the truth is they see way more of me than they do Brian and I am glad that she loves her Daddy so much.