Little Things

I've been looking for the joy in the little things lately, in order to brighten up my day during the mundane winter months. I see things like little hands that love to be washed. I see bum-in-the-air bear crawlilng in order to push around a toy car. I see a rotisserie style chicken from the play food sitting in the hen house of our Fisher Price barn. I hear, "It's Sunday." "Oh, SUNNYday!" I see a bed that wasn't made by me. I see smiles, love, service and a great family. Granted, sometimes I see oatmeal and sprinkles mixed on the floor or toy tug-of-wars, but it's all part of the experience.

The Birthday that doesn't end

On Friday, Mike came home and surprised me by saying that for fun that evening we should dress up goofy. This is the sort of thing I am game for. Out of the ordinary. Spontaneous. But coming from Mike, it is weird. Our typical Friday night is a movie and microwave popcorn. Later in the evening, "Lets dress up Heather."
"Ok, what are you going to wear."
"I don't know. I don't have any funny clothes."
"Well you can make your normal clothes look funny."
"Why don't you just do your hair in pig tails and put on your pajamas."
"What about you?"
"I'm alright. K, go put them on now alright."
"Uh, ok."
Why does he want me to wear my pajama's so bad? I inspect them on the bed. No, nothing is out of the ordinary. Whatever. Mike wants me to do something goofy. I feel like doing something out of the ordinary. Up come the pigtails. Out go the contacts. On come the PJ's.
I go downstairs and sit down.
Me- "I want to make cinnamon rolls. I should get up."
"No, why don't you just relax?"
I sit for a few more minutes and a lame show comes on.
Me, sitting up "I'm going to go make those cinnamon rolls."
"No, just watch this with me. It will be fun."
"Fun? We both said earlier this show looked stupid."
Blank expression saved by a knocking on the door. He smiles, I throw a pillow at him. In march 6 girlfriends ready for a night on the town and apparently, thanks to Mike, I am now ready for my night on the town. With Princess birthday hat, boa and red slippers that match my PJ's (thanks for the slippers mom) I'm on my way for pizza. Sort of embarrassing, but these are my friends and I did say earlier I was up for something out of the ordinary. Well I got it. I tried some Peanut Butter Pizza that in theory tasted great, but in reality was better just imagining it. Thanks for the night out ladies. You made me feel very special. Something every girl needs now and again.

O My Father

"O My Father" is my favorite hymn. We sang it Sunday and it made me cry. Hearing that song was the best part of my whole Sunday because I felt the spirit so strong. I really do believe that God is a loving Heavenly Father and that we are His children. We lived with Him before we came to earth and we can join Him again.

O my Father, thou that dwellest in the high and glorious place, When shall I regain thy presence and again behold thy face? In thy holy habitation, did my spirit once reside? In my first primeval childhood, was I nurtured by thy side?

For a wise and glorious purpose, thou hast placed me here on earth. And withed the recollection of my former friends and birth. Yet ofttimes a secret something whispers your a stranger here and I felt that I had wandered from a more exalted sphere.

I had learned to call thee Father, thru thy spirit from on high. But until the key of knowledge was restored, I knew not why. In the heavens are parents single? No, the thought makes reason stare! Truth is reason, truth eternal, Tells me I've a mother there.

When I leave this frail existence, when I lay this mortal by, Father, Mother may I meet you in your royal courts on high? Then at length when I've completed al lyou sent me forth to do, with your mutual approbation, let me come and dwell with you.

Handy Manny

Lydia loves Handy Manny. Santa brought her some tools for Christmas and they are being put to good use. She designed the tool belt herself.

25

This is what greeted me at the end of the day on my birthday . . .

You turn 25 and I suppose by that age you are supposed to be responsible. The thing that makes me feel old though is my children. Thankfully, I have a husband who is very young at heart and HE will keep me young, or else drive me bonkers because he acts just like the kids. Mike did make my birthday very special. He made me feel so loved with his breakfast in bed, which ended up family breakfast on the bed. He and Lydia made a cake, which Lydia had been looking forward to for weeks. He even surprised me with a cookbook I had said I liked. He usually likes very specific instructions on what I would like for presents, so it was nice to get something I didn't expect. Probably the least exciting thing about my birthday was the life insurance policy I got. Though I feel much more secure with it in place, I guess it really does mean I am an adult with responsibility. Even the responsibility of dishes. . .
You thought I had to do all those dishes didn't you? You probably felt sorry for me having all those dishes on my birthday. Well, this is what I found when I came home from visiting a friend. This was like the sprinkles on top of the birthday cake! Mike outdid himself- his hands were pruny for a long time!
Lydia and I on my birthday. We have "matching" wool coats. She loves when we wear them together on Sunday.