The blessings of today

• What made me smile: the little boy I babysit...his toothy grin as he tries to charm me into approving his disobedience.
• What gave me warm and fuzzies: snuggling with a five week old little boy. Oh he was so sweet.
• What made me cry: reading Nathan's birthday card that he wrote for John's birthday next week. My paraphrase (you can't really get the full effect until you see his little handwriting on his crinkled up paper): " You are the best brother any brother could have because of the love you show me." Making me tear up again...
• What made me sigh: the snow and the cold. It was sigh of relief and blessing that I didn't have to go out in it today. To again paraphrase a friend: "I know winter is late, but does it have to arrive so grumpy?!"
• What amazed me: Our dinner conversation. Ashley was explaining electricity to me and how dryer sheets work. I don't think I've ever been told how dryer sheet works. How did my kids get smarter than me?
  

The official start of a new year....for me at least

For me the new year never seems to officially start until the kids go back to school. I know...it's a bit odd. This year what make it really odd is that the kids didn't go back until today so that leaves 8 days kind of in year limbo...they still felt like 2011 to me. Anyway, we are back at it here at our house although my kids have definitely had a begrudging attitude towards the return of school. One I think is, in fact, in denial. She got home from school and wanted to immediately start watching a movie series that we hadn't quite gotten concluded before the start of school. Somehow she forgot that she has homework, a flute to practice, AWANA verses to review, and a girl scout meeting tonight. And leave it to my boys to decide that the one day that they are going to start actually sleeping in is the first day back to school. Everyone was moving a bit slow this morning and seemed to be in quite a fog. Fortunately, I could move slow. I had only one child to babysit today and she didn't come until 8:30.

I've added another full-time client and one of my part-time clients has gone full-time so come the end of February I will be full. Yeah! Such a blessing from the Lord. I haven't advertised and now I have a waiting list. Looking forward to seeing God's mercy every morning in this coming year. He is so good.