An exercise in thankfulness

It's not difficult to understand that we should be thankful for what we have. That we should "count our blessings." Gratitude is the language of contentedness, acceptance, clarity. It's even easier; however, to get get caught up in the busy-ness of life and forget to be thankful for the little things that have no less significance than the larger ones. I have been recently challenged to take the time to practice the art of thankfulness. I'm not really interested in debating the theology of where that challenge came from here. And, it's not because I don't love theology and a good theological discussion. It's more because there is a time and place for everything and (if you've ever read this blog you already know) that this place is for the light-hearted side of my life and those of my family. Like today when I remembered to say to the boys, "Thank you for having good behavior at the school uniform store. I know we were there for a really long time." To which they replied cheerfully, "You're welcome!" And didn't even act like they should get anything because of it. Because on a different day, all that could just as easily go a number of different and less savory ways. And I would be challenged to be thankful for those moments as well. I have decided to take pictures of those "little" things that I'm thankful for and chronicle them here. For my kids to see later. That's why I needed to explain a little about what I'm doing. Will there be a thousand? I hope so. That will take me a long time because I don't want to force it. Will some of it be things that are difficult to give thanks for? Probably. So here's number one:

Summertime Breakfast. By myself, on the back deck, under the shade of my umbrella (b/c good gracious it is HOT!!,) with a book to read...thankful, thankful, thankful. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. And also, I haven't used blogspot in a while and it is different. I don't know why the whole thing shows up as one paragraph because that's not how I wrote it. :(

Saturday Adventures

When I was a kid I remember that my mom always had sun tea brewing in a jar out on the patio. I don't ever remember drinking any of it, but it was there nonetheless.

On Saturday (which was one of those crazy everyone-in-the-family-has-to-be-in-a-different-place sort of days,) Parker and I had to rush to Kroger to get the after-game snacks for Carter's baseball team. While we were there, I saw this:



It's a sun tea jar! I started feeling nostalgic, which made me explain to Parker about sun tea on the back patio and then we both wanted some, so I bought it. I carried it out to the car by it's little green handle (Don't do that.) Just as the back door on the van was lifting, it dropped and shattered into 8 million pieces.

The cooler in the back of the car tipped over and dumped all the ice on top of the shattered glass.

Parker started to cry and said, "We JUST bought that, now we don't get to drink the special tea!!"

I cut my hand on the glass trying to pick up the big pieces and started bleeding everywhere, which made Parker cry harder.

The customer service people helped me with my cut and let me get another sun tea jar.

Parker was very late for batting practice.

The End.

And today, we enjoyed delicious iced green tea brewed by nature.

In which we enjoy the calm before the storm

Anyone who knows me even a little, knows that I am a serious believer in the mal-effects of artificial colors in food. If I had the energy I would link countless articles to this post that implicate this non-food item to hyperactivity, as well as depression and other psychiatric problems in children.

These articles are not the reason for my convictions; however, it's my experience with my own kids that clinches it. Two of our three children are extremely effected negatively by artificial colors. This is unfortunate on many levels. Our lives would be so much easier if I didn't feel like I "had" to make an issue out of this. And we make NO EXCEPTION!! The exceptions have long been deemed "not worth it", by both Brent and me.

Did you know that red and yellow food dyes are not allowed in foods in England? And that American companies (such as KRAFT) have alternate food recipes that they sell in Europe in order to comply with this law? I have a friend who lives in Europe. When we had this conversation he said, "Oh, so is that why my Trix cereal seems brownish instead of brightly colored?" Yes, that is why.

But tonight, we made an exception. All this week during Spring Break, the ICE CREAM MAN has been driving by my house. And my children stand on the side of the road, waving sadly, like they live in the hotel that you can check out of, but never leave. Something like this:




Tonight when we were taking our nightly walk around the neighborhood, the ice cream man stopped and we had this conversation:

Him: "Are you these kids' parents?"
Me: "Yes?" (Slightly hesitantly, just in case they're in trouble.)
Him: "Well, we've been seeing them out whenever we come to this neighborhood and what we like to do whenever we see kids who don't get ice cream when there are others that are is...give them free Posicles."

Have mercy.

Sooooo, the children got to enjoy a popsicle this evening, thanks to the ice cream man who now will expect us to buy ice cream all summer (haha.) The kids were absolutely thrilled.

We're talking sheer joy.

I developed an eye twitch watching their enjoyment, but you don't look a gift horse in the mouth right?! (What does that even mean?)

I apologize in advance to anyone who sits next to us in church tomorrow to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.




Purple depression-on-a-stick.





Parker's Popsicle is RED. Is there anyone who would like a sweet 7 year old to spend the night tonight?




Carter's Popsicle is ORANGE.