just plain happy....

Are you ever just plain happy? I am. Today I am. There is no specific reason for it, and I am a little suspicious of it, because I get nervous that something bad will happen. That is in direct contradiction to believe that God sends all things for my very best, but it is still in there a little bit.

Anyway, here is why I am happy:

1. I love my husband. He isn't perfect, and sometimes he drives me absolutely nuts, but I am not quite perfect either so I can overlook when he just Uh-Huhs when I tell him perfectly interesting stuff.

2. I love my kids. Last night I drove five of them to soccer practice, and promised them on the way there that if they were back in the van at 8:00 on the dot, I would take them to Dunkin for an ice cream or a frozen drink. (sometimes the practice runs over, and I have other kids to get home to:)) It worked, and off we went. They had lots of ranting to do, and they took turns. A. doesn't listen! B. argues back with the coach! C. gets so mad whenever she's corrected! D. swore at me! E. knocked me down for no reason and when I said he should apologize, he said, "Sorrrrrreeeeeee!" like he didn't mean it, and when I said not to say it like that, he said, "What, you don't like apologies, fine!" and so on. Kathryn is the assistant coach, so between the two of us, we managed to get the kids thinking more positively, encouraging them to forgive and forget and not argue. To at least for the Good Sportsmen Trophy.:)

3. I love the weather. Today it is chillier and rainy. The persistent dark cloudy kind of rain. It is beyond cozy in here right now, and I have a huge mug of coffee.

4. I love that it's Joseph's 23rd birthday! He is my fifth child, and I love him to pieces! Here he is with Samuel and Jonathan. Joe hates his name, wishes I had used more imagination. He does not lack in imagination. He is an artist, and spends most of his time drawing, and putting together a portfolio. He has tried working in construction, and went to college for a half year, then to nursing school for one semester. He hated those things. He loves his art, and is trying to perfect his stuff so he can make a living at it. Joseph is a kind soul. He doesn't ask for much, and he does lots of things he really doesn't love doing without complaining. He reminds me so much of my late brother Billy, the way he can peg people and say the most cynical things. I bought him a super new pencil sharpener, some nice pens, pencils, drawing paper, and a t-shirt that says, "Yes, I am hiding from you."

5. I love our two labs. Nice, cute, funny, smart...mostly obedient. Sort of like the kids.

6. I love homeschooling Kathryn and Jonathan. It gives me more time with them, the days go by too fast.

7. I love that Ben is done with the Army in the fall, and moving back to New York. I can't wait to spend more time with him and Ashley, and of course Anya:)

8. I love that Mali is pretty much done with nursing school.

9. I love that Paul and I are going to Georgia again, to see Samuel "turn blue", into a genuine Infantryman, and graduate from Army Basic training.

10. I love my older kids, the ones who have mostly gone through the perils of their youth and landed safely in the land of Responsible Young Adulthood....Emily and Abigail and Benjamin and Mirielle and Aaron....they support themselves. :)

11. I love that even though I ate so terribly last week on vacation in Georgia, the scale is moving down again. I love that I am optimistic again about getting smaller. It is so much a mental battle.

And now I am tired of that, although I am certain there are many more things I love.

I talked to my brother on the phone this morning, and I am very proud of him. He has lost so much weight. The details aren't my story to tell, but he looks like a younger smaller version of his already handsome self. It is so encouraging to talk to him. He has simply changed his lifestyle.

Okay, so our upcoming trip to Georgia....Paul and I are planning to go all by our lonesomes and bring Sam back with us, for his 10 day leave. We want to go by ourselves because....we really want some time. Sharing a hotel room with lots of kids is fun, but. A few of my teenagers REALLY want to go, but we would kind of want to get them their own room, which isn't really feasible. They say Sam wants them to come, and I do agree that he does, but. I feel sort of selfish, but we simply can't seem to carve out any time to spend just together, and the ride down and the few days before we see Sam seem perfect. I know I can't please everyone all the time, but I am used to The Kids Come First, and it's hard knowing they would have too much fun if they came with us. I am ready to just say Okay Everyone Who Wants To Can Come, we will pack in like sardines and just have a good old time.

I love the hustle and bustle of still having so many kids around, but I also like these down days, where Kathryn is doing her work, Jon is doing his work, Joe is doing his work, the dogs are snoring on the couches, and I putter around from one thing to another, accomplishing a little here and a little there. I know when the school bus pulls up, the drama and the noise will come back in full force, so I try to bask in the peacefulness.

Last evening, after we came in from soccer practice and Dunkin Donuts (I only got a coffee with sugar-free rasberry), the power went out. It stayed out for like an hour, and it was just plain cozy in here. We turned on all the battery-operated candles (I LOVE those!), lit some real candles, and talked. I was glad when it came back on so we could sleep with the fan on, and run the water again, but it was actually kind of exciting to have had it go out for a bit.