Tuesday Mornings

Tuesdays are always what feels like off the wall chaotic and busy.

We load up at sunrise and head to town. This morning, chores had to be done: water from a leak cleaned up, pasture check on a lamb that is struggling but still doing fine, stoke the wood stove, load the truck. On the road by 6:30 am. Gas station breakfast and truck maintenance were done too.

Isaac's doctor appointment, then real breakfast, break up girls fighting (sigh) over Holly being friendly with strangers in the doctor's waiting room. It was a mom she knew, but Lily didn't know that and was being very protective. Long quiet talk about appropriate ways to handle situations like that, but not shame her for trying to do the right thing.

Breakfast. iHop free pancake day.

Ballet class. More truck oil checking and filling.

Then to Grampas. The kids were just so happy to see him. They also spent quiet time with great grandma and did not want to leave until 4. That was much longer than I had planned on spending, worried about tiring her out.

Holly cried once we were on the road home, she wanted to stay longer to see Nana.

So, the day goes on and when we arrived at the farm, the concern shifted towards checking on the lamb and playing outside. Early bedtimes were had and three children fell asleep telling a collective story about Dreamland, Prince Isaac, Princesses Lily and Holly, and Queen Mama the bohemian jeans wearing royalty that loved her children all very much.

And there's my happy.

Today's Quiet Moment.

I didn't get a picture for today's happy.

So, here is my list:
Today the meals I made were delicious and appreciated by all three children.
We had fun checking on lambs, shopping, checking on lambs again, and being with each other.
Isaac practised making different animal noises! It was adorable. Quack quack!
I read poetry. Two new books came in the mail today and both are lovely. So far, in each, I have discovered a shiver poem. The kind of lyric that makes you shiver with fear, delight, or just beauty that is found. Delighted to have that be in my day and to have both of those authors in my proximity and path.

Chocolate and Earl Grey tea. Add in a quiet moment, with poetry in hand, and that brief and fleet moment is near perfect. Especially when the quiet was the children snuggled up discovering something new together, yet on their own from me. Oh precious.

Now they are all three sleeping piled on each other, sort of snoring, one laughing in her sleep.  We have an early day tomorrow, but the promise of maybe seeing Grampa got them in jammies, teeth brushed, and into bed early. Oh Holly woke up this morning telling me how much she misses Grampa and Nana and how she wishes she cold spend the day with them every week like last year. It was heartbreaking and precious. If I had video captured the moment, I am quite certain someone would be signing papers and moving here next week. ;)

So I add to my pile of happy, the blessing that my children have extended family that they love so much and that love them back. Speaking of which, I should probably call my brother and his wife and invite them for a visit in the Spring. Their daughter will love the baby lambs!

So that is my happy for the day. (A picture from last week too.....)

Happy Project

There's this thing, 100 days of happy.

I can do this. I do this every day already. Even if I am having a crappy day, I can find 5 minutes to be happy, to look around and be grateful, to love. If the day is collapsing on my head, I step outside and look at the stars, sit and drink tea alone, or snuggle my babies.

Why take part in this then? To help others do it too. 3 years ago, when Isaac was diagnosed with 22q11 Deletion Syndrome, I thought I could not/should not share his story. I thought that violating his personal medical privacy was a horrible crime to commit, so I kept to the private boards. I only shared happy pictures and good things on the blog. But then? Someone, an expectant mother with a prenatal diagnosis of 22q, who was given the choice to abort her baby and was seriously considering it...found my blog through those groups. She saw happy. Today, that baby is a thriving toddler.

Sometimes when we show others the possibility of something as simple as happy, a miracle happens.

Here's to that miracle. Here's to happy.

A February Thaw and Babies on our Farm: Pictures