And I don't mean the frolicking through
Friday night proved to be sweet, though, with a spur of the moment trip to our town's new (cheap! yummy!) Mexican restaurant. Queso, salsa, and jam packed tortillas make everything better, right? We came home hopeful. Crockpot oats simmered through the am hours and we woke up to first soccer practices on a perfectly beautiful 70 degree Saturday morning.
One of my cherubs didn't get the memo on this sunshiny bliss and it was like pulling teeth to stay patient. Honestly, it made me grumpy. Grumppppppy.
As I helped her get to the van, I decided to change tactics. Two grumps are NOT better than one. I reminded myself of the should-be obvious age difference and I remembered that it's a heart I'm cultivating here, not a perfectly behaved child. I slowed down, chose my words more carefully, and I talked to her.
I talked to me.
When things don't feel right and we sense ourselves nose diving into moments we are sure to regret later, what should we do? Give into the negative pull or, when at all possible, look up. Ask God for strength. Choose joy.
In my experience, almost always, joy chooses me back.
We talked through this and we prayed. Before long we arrived at the field, the van doors opened.
The memo was delivered.
My cheerleading section partner.
A beautiful Saturday turn around indeed.
****
:: I love that my girls can go from superhero sirens...
At a birthday party I was privileged to get to help plan and execute! One that made my girls all things sweaty, dirty, and action hero-like.
::... to perfectly princessy.
Holla for $2 Goodwill princess digs. Ones that made my babes blush and girly squeal on their way to a perfectly royal affair.
:: Daddy's helping coach soccer this year. He is such an encouraging trip, that man! Kids love it.
:: When I think of the house we almost rented and how bummed I was when it, by our own choosing, fell through-- I cannot help but get the biggest smile. Our best is not God's best. His best is... THE best. It's nothing to be hanging with our new neighbors until dinner time comes calling and say, "Oh, I've got this" while they're all, "I've got that." We meet in the middle serving up whatever came out of those last minute plans with a side of memories to boot.
Keep in mind: six kids six and under between us. A recent visitor who came to see us both said that we could have our own reality TV show.
:: A pretty cute reality TV show, I think.
:: Friends who make you coffee and personalize it should be kept.
I've found Choose Joy Rule #1: Make someone else's day!
:: After a couple weeks of travel, when all of us were back in our hometown and under one roof, Joe and I decided that we needed some adventure to be shared between just the five of us.
Yeah, this pretty much fit the bill.
This week marks the last of "summer" and we still have some items to get crossed off our Bucket List. Who knows if we'll make it but I do know that in the middle of
Spray Park? Check! Find a tiny caterpillar (Alysse's latest quest in life)? Double check!
Choosing Joy,
Katrina
1 comment:
it's like I just know. it seems that I come read your bits the day you post them. man I love you. and i'm totally doing that coffee note thing to someone special this week. how kind. I love the pictures in this one. more so than usual I believe. your family is beautiful. happy you found fabulous neighbors.
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