Counting My Blessings (even when I don't want to...)

It's taken me three days to finish this.  Partly because I procrastinate moving pictures from my camera to my computer, partly because I'm horrible at choosing fonts in Picmonkey (which is not a big deal unless you are a perfectionist and certain that the whole life and death of your blog relies on one font choice), it's easier for me to wallow than be grateful, and largely because the weather's nice so we've been outside a lot.  Most of this was written on Tuesday, so if you're reading this and wondering about my inability to describe the weather, just think back to Tuesday.  This is more of a "weekbook" than a "daybook" at this point, but we'll just pretend it all happened in one day, okay?

Sitting:  
On a picnic bench at our neighborhood park while the girls eat lunch under the play equipment. 

Drinking:  
Peach sun tea.  A summer necessity.  I need to set another jar outside to brew today.

Listening to:  
The birds chirp.  The mourning doves are my favorite.  I can also hear the beep-beep of the construction equipment working up the street at the hospital.

Enjoying: 
Near-perfect weather.  The sun is shining without a cloud in the sky.  The temperature is cool enough to be comfortable in pants (if you have a bum thyroid like me, anyway) but warm enough to wear short sleeves.  There’s a slight breeze.  Days like this are so much more appreciated after all the rain we’ve had this spring and summer.  Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy again.

Cooking:
Hmm…well, I didn’t burn anything this week, so there’s something.  I baked a dozen of these to take to Jazz in June and froze the rest of the dough in 36 scoops to bake as needed.....or wanted.  Cookies are not really a necessity, I suppose.  I need to find some new summer salads.  I would eat nothing but salads and sandwiches all summer if I could, but Jon and the girls need a little more variety.  Suggestions?

Making:  
So many things for school - lesson plan forms, history lessons, science book lists, co-op memory work activities, map stickers, file folder games, preschool literacy activities for an active four-year old who wants to read like her big sister.  And lists.  I'm always making lists.  I can't get anything done without a list.

Learning: 
That hair dryers and hot flashes do not mix.  Especially in an already steamy, post-shower tiny, windowless bathroom.  I might have scared Meredith in my rush to find the nearest oscillating fan.

Thinking:
Not much.  Insomnia has wiped me out the last few days.  Very few brain cells up and running.  And the ones that are have been taken over by memory work songs that the girls insist on listening to over and over in the van. So mostly I think things like "The colonists paid high TAXES on suuuuugarrr and tea...." and "A pronoun is a word that takes, word that takes, word that takes, a pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun."

Smiling at:
I looked up from what I was doing on Monday and saw this walking past me.  I love that anytime they wear something like this they truly think it’s one of the most beautiful outfits on the planet. I really wish I'd taken a side shot of this.

Praying for: 
+ Acceptance of God's will in our lives.
+Answers regarding why I am miscarrying repeatedly and the odds of it continuing to happen.
+All those who struggle with infertility and/or miscarriage.  
+Patience.
+A friend from high school who was recently diagnosed with cancer.  
+My children as they struggle to learn self-control and deal with disappointment. 
+My husband who has to live with me.

What I’m thankful for: 
*My husband who has near-endless amounts of patience with me….and who has an office to play in and a garage to organize when he runs out of patience.  
* Jocelyn’s love for books. 
* Meredith’s ability to say something funny just when we all need a laugh.  
*Summer. The heat, the flowers, the green grass, the ability to shoo the children outdoors and latch the door while I read a book and sip tea in my rocking chair on the mostly bug-free sunporch. 
*Flower beds and flower pots that haven’t been eaten by the rabbits.  
*The pretty fence around my vegetable garden that is rabbit proof. 
*The opportunity to introduce the girls to a “poison berry” bush in our park.  I don’t know what kind of bush it really is, but we had one growing next to our front porch when I was little and I have many fun memories of playing with the flowers and berries it produced.
*The downtown library's children's room.  The girls love that it has a felt board and a few toys.  I got  a kick out of the outspoken two year old who chatted with me.  

Working on:
✔︎ Portion control and better lunch choices. 
✔︎Exercising in the morning if insomnia subsides.   
✔︎Checking one or two fun summer activities off our list this week.
✔︎Cleaning the storage and laundry rooms on the next rainy day - that’s the only time I am willing to spend summer days in the basement.....or the NEXT next rainy day.  It rained today (Thursday) but we chose to build a nest of cushions on the sunporch and read a stack of books fresh from the library while it rained.
✔︎Deadheading the daisies and daylilies so they will continue to bloom.
✔︎Finding a balance between playtime and worktime.