Have you ever had a good day?

"Have you ever had a good day?" 


His words pierced me. The eldest of my blessings was wondering if I had ever had a good day. Embarrassed and bewildered by his question, I answered in the overwhelming affirmative. However, I realized how my ingratitude had taken a toll on my family. 

The last months of the deployment and the first few weeks of Hubs being home had been tougher than I wanted them to be. I was so weary. Nothing particularly bad happened, but I had struggled to find the good. Ann Voskamp calls this the hard eucharisteo. I only focused on the hard and forgot about the thanksgiving....the thanks-living. 

Someone once told me that his wife set the tone for their home. I realized then that this was certainly the case for our home. Yet I have failed to show my children how to be grateful for the seemingly inconsequential, the simple things, as well as the big evidences of grace. 

Thinking that I had so poisoned my home with my ingratitude broke my heart in two. 

And so, with his words echoing in my mind, I chose differently that day and most of the days since. I work without (much) complaining. I (mostly) enjoy the simple and mundane. I (generally) keep a good attitude. I even have a little bit of fun. 

I reap what I sow. I have GOOD days. 

And I am sure to tell my deep thinker, too. 

a constant reminder at the end of my hallway

Counting the gifts...


66. Bull's incredible curiosity of late

67. answering lots of questions

68. an understanding husband

69. running for the first time in a long time

70. my foot doesn't hurt!

71. watching my blessings choosing to bless others through World Vision

72. Monkey's incredibly cute mischief

73. Gator's Spirit-led question

74. counting His gifts once again

75. a better-than-expected house

76. an easy transition

77. seeing familiar faces in unexpected places

78. reminders of good friends spread throughout my new house

79. a hot shower, a lock on the bathroom door, and a loud bathroom fan
80. a home that fits our extended family

81. being closer to family

82. good friends who send unexpected e-mails

83. music

84. new friends for the boys

85. hugs before friends deploy

86. friends to support like I was supported

87. our new chapel home

88. PWOC tomorrow! 

89. Hubs' new dream job

90. my life

Whew!

It's been a really, really long time since I posted here. I have missed it, but I've not had the extra time to devote to it. I'll do a really quick run-down of the last 5 months. FIVE MONTHS?!

We celebrated birthdays in October. Hubs got home safely for his deployment in November! We saw most of our family over the holidays. We celebrated more birthdays in December. Hubs' grandfather passed away at the ripe old age of 100 in January. We moved in February.

That's a lot of life!

We live in the Eastern time zone again! We are much closer to our family. We have a fabulous home with amazing neighbors. Honestly, we couldn't have asked for a more appropriate place for us right now. The boys have already adjusted and love it here. We had to think creatively in a few cases, but we're thrilled with the results. Here are some pictures of our new digs!

our front door with lots of new decorations

living room from the entryway

home school area from living room

back toward the living room from the home school area

kitchen with my awesome new rooster in the corner

kitchen from the dining room pass through

dining room 

coat closet to the right as you come in the front door
why yes - my pantry is in my coat closet!

coat closet is to my left as I look down the hallway 

1st door on the right: Bull and Monkey's room

1st door on the left: Gator's room

Gator's room

more of the hallway 

boys' vintage powder blue bathroom (the first door in the previous picture)

it's a long hallway!

Hubs calls it the Phone Booth (his uniforms are in this closet); I call it the sewing room 

our bedroom (last door on the right from the hallway)

our vintage brown bathroom

Eucharisteo!