Today Was Beautiful

Not all of today felt beautiful. Parts were stressful, overwhelming, and super messy.  But I've decided that focusing on the beautiful will help me see the beauty with more ease.

I had five children (7 and under) in my home for the bulk of my day. 

The four who are mobile spent the first hour of their day playing in giant boxes. I could hear their spaceship countdowns rise up from the basement. This gave our day together a great start, if cardboard could fill them with that much joy, I'd survive. 

Their next simple joy was a ball of yarn. The mischievous boys made an elaborate trap for the seven-year-old, while she and Nell colored quietly at the kitchen table. Once their yarn was strung from the bedroom to the basement and then back up to the bedroom, they climbed in Reid's top bunk and waited, with giggles, to catch their prize. I was the one soon giggling, as I watched her outsmart them. She sneaked downstairs and slowly pulled the entire string out of their hands. Yes, she was in the basement and they were on that top bunk -- all three connected by that string. Their giggles (and the boys' shock that their trap failed) were contagious.   

Then there was the play doh mess (which looked a lot like the kinetic sand mess and the paint mess).

It all went in the garbage at the day's end. But the happiness it brought my four little friends during play time was worth it.

Meanwhile, my sweet Coraline snoozed away, napping from 8am until almost noon! I eventually opened her door and just waited for the noise to wake her. It didn't, but snoopy little four-year-old boys did.  

The afternoon wasn't quite as smooth, but there was cozy movie watching, floor puzzle building, more coloring, more play doh, and some outdoor adventures. Pancakes and scrambled eggs for dinner, and my two broken heart-ed children standing on our patio as they watched their friends drive away.

"Can't they stay?" Reid asked. "Well, there's two of them..." I'm not sure what his plans were at that point, but I could really see the wheels turning. 

I feel so blessed to be in this stage of my life. Today was beautiful.