Little Bits: Celebrating Wednesdays

I like the format I've seen on a couple of blogs where they pick a day to recap moments from the past week and find meaning woven throughout them. I like the predictability, the weekly celebration of a day like Wednesday, the anticipation of having a standing writing and photo uploading date with myself. I think I'm going to like giving it a whirl.

I also took a little internet break over the last few weeks while I prayed for Madds, pretty much only jumping on to look up something or to do an e-mail check. Back when we were first married Joe suggested we do without cable and have just one TV mostly meant for movie nights. Honestly I was annoyed at the suggestion, but I agreed because he had honored some of my requests too and all of that led to our "use the higher standard" rule when in conflict. That has turned out to be a pretty solid deal over the years that works for us.

Crazily enough, I ended up digging it. It makes TV more special when we get movies now or go somewhere, like to our parents, and we catch our favorite networks. And in the last month, I found the same to be true for the good old World Wide Web.

I love the connectedness of staying in touch with loved ones and finding long lost buddies. I don't get to live near enough to my family and many of my closest friends, so the world of blogs and updates and more gives me that chance to "be" with them. That chance for them to see and know the girls even from across many miles and for me to feel like those I dearly miss are just a click or two down the road. Not to mention, the friends I've gotten to know more deeply or the sheer number of inspirational people out there!

Which is why I'm thinking that Tuesday nights as I sit down with my photo cord and the week's memories, I will also make that my big time to catch up on most of the inspiration and good the cyber world has to offer. A quick daily or so check should take care of everything else. I think it will make the reading all the more special and even more fun. I just love that feeling of looking forward to without sacrificing the time of right now that all of that cool stuff can sometimes tempt me to do.

So without further adieu :), I introduce my new hump day recap: "Little Bits" as in all our little bits to love.

::How can I begin any other way other than to rejoice again? Our Maddie's heart is clear and as it gets stronger we should see less of her symptoms, like sudden fatigue and irritability-- which has almost been like watching a diabetic have sugar crashes for over two months now. Not that it matters as much, but oh my heart during this time.

Poor baby. Sacked out just inside our front door after a hard afternoon. :(

::What have we been up to in the last few weeks? Truthfully our patience has been tested some. Between illness issues among family and friends, a mini packing peanut disaster (my reaction, during which, won't be winning me any "Mother of the Year" awards I'm afraid), and a ticket happy park ranger who kind of lost his mind... to name a few. But, given the miracle of our precious Maddie Girl, most of that doesn't seem to matter too much.

Not too much at all.

::So, let's see... we schooled some.

::We discovered the joy of paper dolls. That Maria the Scientist was some kind of old fashioned fun. I cannot wait for Sue the Teacher and Molly the Nurse to come out of stockings this Christmas.

::We continued Friday's family night. It still doesn't get old.

::Speaking of not getting old, we also still sneak a quick photo before ballet when we can because, really, how can I stop myself?

I love them so.

::We had fall break which meant we could do things like go to our favorite indoor playground. Past bedtime. In our jammies. With night night stories, get this, in the van on the way home. The girls couldn't believe it just got better and better and better.

A new favey favorite of mine.

::The break also afforded us to find some pretty new spots just outside of town. We didn't have bathing suits, but we're thinking our children never even noticed.

::Some of us reminded the rest of us that she is as big as the sisters no matter what height or age may try to otherwise convey.

Making a stair break, standing upright and holding the railing. Good grief.

Picasso in training, with an almost proper pencil grip!

Who's the Mommy now?

::Oh and we had a surprise visit from friends we miss so much it hurts! They traveled many hours for a long weekend. When I heard one of those sweet boys yell to his mama as she called for him, "But Mommy, I'm in my sisters' room!" it just about did me in. We were proud, however, that we did not let out the air in their tires before they tried to leave as we had originally planned. Pretty mature of us, I'd say.

Staged group photo? Valiant effort, but ain't happening. Too much to run and do!

Chasing Joe around the backyard while he screamed like a girl? Real life and happenin' indeed.

::That visit was followed up by a visit from cousins who bravely headed overseas to serve our country. So many smart, fun, handsome little guys in our lives no?

::Then we followed that up with a visit from friends who can now make it down for day trips full of hiking, picnicking, and the like. Joe has been close friends with the husband of this particular family since middle school. Our firstborns hit it off so well, Hope bawled (and I mean bawled!) when they left. She said, "Why do so many people I love only get to visit sometimes and then leave?" Don't I ever know what you mean my darling Hopey.

Mmm... fall.

Pun'kins making pun'kins. Littlest sisters inside sharing a cupcake between them.

Whew, that was a whole collection of Wednesdays to unpack. Happy Wednesday, hump day, find all the reasons to celebrate it day.

May it be truly blessed,
~Katrina