these days.

There’s so much joy to be found when practicing mindfulness. My Mom always told me, “God only gives you the grace for this moment.” I understood the sentiment, but did I internalize it? No, I think not. I’m doing it every day, and like a channel grows as the water flows through it, it’s becoming easier all the time. A bit like meditation, perhaps, that I’ve always wanted to learn anyway. Yes, we feel certain things all the time–gosh, our mind can carry us away, can’t it?–but we don’t need to go with it. It’s our choice. What freedom.

The boys have been exceptionally sweet together lately. I mean the sort of interaction that makes me like Tom in Tom and Jerry with the bugging out heart eyes. Playing, chatting, following each other around. Sometimes it goes sour, and Anders comes to me one hundred percent devastated, eyebrows furrowed, emphatically babble-yelling while pointing Parker’s way. “You’re so sad! He made you so mad!” I say, mirroring how he’s feeling. You can’t understand any of it but you do know that he’s very angry at Parker. It usually takes him about one minute of Mama-hugs and then they’re back playing together.

Christmas is coming! I’ve got a bit more to do, but I’m confident that I’ll get it done in time (is there really another choice?). And I still need to bake some cookies with the kids (I’m thinking these confetti cookies (they call for cream cheese so they must be good) plus the normal cut-out sugar cookies?). But otherwise, I feel like we’ve gotten a lot done on our checklist. Steve and I still need to watch The Holiday and Love Actually together. Charlie Brown has been played no fewer than five times, and when it’s not playing, Parker recites it. Lucy saying, “I’ve got five good reasons. One, two, three, four, five. But she doesn’t give any reasons! She just counts to five!” He loves that part.

William got his license. Yes. He got his license! It’s hard to believe. I still have visions of him bouncing around the island with more energy than he knew what to do with in our old home. And now he’s off driving, and doing a good job of it too. He’s not a risk-taker, and I’m sort of impartial to boys like that. He’s safe and cautious. Let him remain that way always!

Things are good in our neck of the woods. Hoping they’re good in yours too.

(P.S. I shared two ideas yesterday on FB for helping out in this season of Christmas. Please check it out and consider doing both.)