Thank you

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for this beautiful spring weather we have had.
I needed it sooo much.
My soul needed it sooo much.
One more day of off track kids + snow + cold would have = padded cell.

Thank you for my crazy kids.
Thank you for making them just the way they are.
Energetic, sometimes demanding, sweet, fun, occasionally high-maintenence, smart.
Thank you for their healthy bodies..
For their amazing brains..
For their strong spirits..
For the things I am learning by being their mother.
I would have loved it if they would have come to me enjoying vegetables.. but, whatev's.

Thank you for my home that we have worked so hard for-
I never thought we would find our perfect home.. I doubted that you would answer
such a temporally-minded prayer.
I was wrong.
I love my house.
Our yard is done, so now I love it too.
I love watching my kids on the trampoline, Todd playing football and/or basketball with the kids.
I even love mowing the lawn.
I dislike weeding and picking up Sophie's "brownies", but that is neither here nor there..

We have the perfect renter, Julee.
She is beautiful and quiet and timely with her rent.
I remember praying hard for the perfect renter, and you blessed us there, too.
Now we are making good use of a small part of our house which was never being used.
And a bit of rent money doesn't hurt either.
Thank you, thank you.
She is a blessing.

I love our neighbors and our beautiful neighborhood.
2 years ago, during our house hunt, I would have never dreamed we could get so lucky.
I thought I would never find what I wanted, but I prayed for it anyway. You heard me. So cool.
Thanks again for hearing my dumb temporal prayers..

Thank you for my sweet and kind and patient and sexy husband.
I do not deserve him.
He doesn't swear at me, even when I swear at him.
He holds his tongue when I do not.
He is so good to me and my kids.
I could not make it without him.
He is soft-spoken and hard-working.

He doesn't divorce me when I buy a new purse.

(It may seem like a little thing to divorce someone over, but you haven't seen my closet if you think that.)

He eats what I make for dinner and never complains.. I mean NEVER.

He gives the best foot massages in the world!

He tries harder than anyone I know to give his children the love and attention they deserve.
I love that he loves to play with any and all of the kids.
He loves chatting with the teens about their lives.
He loves playing football and basketball with Luke and Tanner.
He loves trying to teach Sadie to love football and basketball.
He loves laughing at Maddie as she sprains herself playing football and basketball.
I love you my husband, my sweet little cupcake.

We are trying to do the best we can.
We are thankful for our opportunities and challenges.
We are  so thankful for the spring, following a sometimes dark and cold winter.
I am mindful that I am very blessed.

Amen and amen.

Sunshine + Todd off + football = Heaven in my backyard