Blessed Day

"Act, and God will act, work and He will work"
— St. Joan of Arc

This was yesterday's quote of the day but I think it was a day early. Today, it seems, when I am conscious of what's happening and spend the time to be present, God is all around. I'm reading a really excellent book (more later) that says largely the same thing...we must remember, always, to notice and thank God for everything since that is from where everything comes. 

#1 is doing really well with her swimming and I've taken the opportunity to let her stretch her independence just a bit when we're at the gym. Today was her "test day". I left her in the pool a bit early to get warmed up and I went to workout while she took her lesson and got herself dressed and ready to go (read: hair brushed and dried). She did wonderfully and look at what I got...

 A treadmill with numbers in front of a huge window!!!! That blinding light is just the sun reflecting on the 5 inches we received last night. Wow. I can't believe it worked (the kid, not the treadmill)! Wasn't it yesterday that I was screaming at three little people who were trying to get changed after swim lessons? Ok, maybe it was two days ago. I'm diggin this "grown up kid" stuff.

Well, not completely.

Because my helper was here today, I also had the blessing of time-with-each-kid time. That's not too common around here and it is so needed. You can just see them blossom when I get to sit down and dedicate that time to them. The morning was filled with school so tiny man got to talk Terri to death about everything you can imagine (How did we miss all the "but why" children before this one? Whew...I'm glad we saved him until last. It's exhausting!) 

Then it was my turn. I love this little dude. I can't believe what an actual kid he's become over the last year. It is amazing to sit and listen to him. What he's thinking is surprising a lot of the time (like when we went to Starbucks and he said, "you need coffee because you like caffeine") I told him he was too young to know a word like caffeine and he told me he heard it from me.

 First we built a city with a farm, castle and Eat n Park

 Then he spent lots of time making "Knight Joey" and "Fireman Joey" and telling me stories. 

So, today I'm reflecting on the passage of time and all the work DH and I have been expending over these five little blessings. It is really, really exhausting sometimes but wow, on days like today? Such a vivid image of the future. I will miss my babies but I am really enjoying the bigger kids they're becoming. I see the light waaayyyy at the end of the tunnel...but I see it. Even last night after Holy Hour when a lady came up and said "how come your kids are so well behaved every time I see them in church?" and I replied, "I'm not sure...because they're always here?" She laughed and said, "yes, I suppose that's why." Time spent. No short cuts (unfortunately).What graces we are given when we try to act according to what God has planned for us! 

When I was running I happened to hear Janet Jackson's "Control". 

When I was seventeen, I did what people told me
Did what my father said, and let my mother mold me
But that was long ago

I'm in control, never gonna stop
Control - to get what I want
Control - I got to have a lot
Control - now I'm all grown up

I used to love that song when I was in high school and full of parents-and-adults-keeping-me-down angst. How I pray that our little people will be loved enough to not need quite so much rebellion and learned enough to know we're never really in total control of our life. Not if we're doing it right ;0)

We are blessed.