The Ordinary Day

My heart is singing with joy for all that was accomplished today.  And that is worth writing about.
Joy in the mundane.

The Ordinary Day.

Our son, Bram, comes in every morning and says, "Mommy, I wike you." then "You have to give me chocolate milk.  And a show."

Today was extra special because he snuggled into bed with me, with his "fwashwight" (flashlight).  This is my life.  And little boy love.

My dear husband got up with the boy, so I fell back to sleep.  I woke up late (9:05 - yipes!) and rushed downstairs to find my children totally absorbed in the Netflix pick of the morning.

At 9:30, I declared breakfast time was about to begin.  Everyone put in their breakfast order (banilla bars, rice krispies, and enny bars - two of which were actually granola bars) and made various messes on the table, on the floor, and on their pajamas.

Then my Kylie (4) brought her special jewelry box to the table - it was a craft project she received for Christmas that we hadn't had time to work on.  Well, we had time today!  So all three kids and I spent the next hour bejeweling the special box together, singing songs and helping each other.  Really.  Even my 3-year-old helped.  It was amazing!

They took an extraordinarily long time to dress and come back for school time, so I sat down to pay my credit card bill, which took longer than expected because I can't seem to remember my passwords.  I took care of a few phone calls, and an hour had passed.  It usually takes me a week to accomplish that much.

My 7-year-old reported for school at the crack of 11:00.  Boy - we are not one of those get-up-early and get-cracking-at-the-books homeschool families.  It's just not possible.

By some miracle, she completed all her schoolwork for the day by 12:00.  Then she went off to play and I took on the dishes.

I have not been able to finish the dishes for weeks.  There is always a remnant pile on the counter, and the stove, and on the kitchen table.  This is not The Dishpit Revolution.  This is the aftermath of...

A phenomenon also known as December.

And the Post Christmas Mess Disorder that follows, aka January.

Two of my children were playing nicely so I had an actual 1/2 hour to tackle the dishes!  When I was close to the dishwashing finish line, my 4-year-old daughter asked to help.  "But I'm so close!  I just want to finish!"  my inner mom voice whined.  But, I decided to let her help.  You only live once and it's important to teach them life skills, and I always say no.  Time to say, "Yes."

So I let her help and she actually washed a pan while I wiped down the rest of the kitchen counters and table.  And then we were done!  A miracle.  She then offered to help make lunch and took all the food we needed out of the pantry, and arranged it on the table, along with the appropriate number of paper plates.  It never ceases to amaze me how much a child is able to do if you train them, then let them do it.  And she was so cheerful!  I am humbled.  And so glad that this is my life. 

Do you find joy in the mundane?

I once had a Mary Englebreit daily calendar page - it said: "To find joy in work is to find happiness in life."

Kept that on my bulletin board for years.

It's true - if you can find joy in your work, whether it be in changing diapers and doing laundry, working in a cubicle, or driving a semi-truck across the country.  It may have something to do with work taking up the majority of every day.  So if you can be happy doing whatever fills your days, you can live a full and happy life.  I like the sound of that.  Don't you?

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as though working for the Lord."

Colossians 3:23