good morning!

Isn't it? I almost forgot a few times. I started thinking it was a bad morning. But when I was showering the unwilling-to-get-moving Evelyn Joy this morning, I was encouraging her. I told her that if she had bad and grumbly thoughts all day, that would become her. I told her that old people, some of them, are miserably and cranky because they have become their bad and complaining thoughts. I told her she gets to choose today, and while I was telling her this, I really woke up and decided wholeheartedly that TODAY I will be good.

Even though Sam didn't get up for first trip, and if you know Sam, he is not a joy in the morning. I have to keep a distance to avoid getting trapped into numerous arguments about irrelevant things. He got up with five minutes to spare, I gave him a strawberry bagel, wrapped in a paper towel to go, and decided NOT to ask him if his shirt is clean or if he brushed his teeth.

Even though Evelyn and Sonja both had showers this morning and their hair was tangly, and we were in a hurry, and we couldn't find Sonja's backpack.

Even though no one (meaning me) has matched socks in a while, and though their are tons of clean ones, they are mingling around single.

Yes, so today I am going to be good. I am not going to give into that ever-present grumbling, even though there are still dishes on the counter from last night's dinner. We did run the dishwasher twice yesterday, but there were still things that didn't fit.

And I am certain that when some of my kids realize that I wrote about the itchy head syndrome, they are going to hang me out to dry. I know it isn't very nice to say they are going to kill me. I checked heads last evening, extremely carefully, and didn't find anything on anyone except for Jonathan, and Charlotte Claire. I was glad not to find any on Camille...she is so little and that shampoo is rough stuff. It will keep us on our toes for a while.

I never had it when I was growing up either, and always associated it with dirtiness. Yuck. Then a few of my nephews tried on Halloween masks in a store when they were little, and we think that's where they got them. Then several years ago one of my older ones was in kindergarten, and she had an itchy head....oh my goodness! I was almost in shock. I have since read that they prefer clean hair, they are harder to get rid of these days because they get resistant to the remedies, and they are not uncommon in setting with young children. I admit when I confirmed my suspicions with Jonathan last night, I was exasperated. I said I want to homeschool. This is ridiculous. Some kid in his class probably has them, and is sharing them with everyone. Lovely.

Romans 8, v 35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long:
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter"
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities not powers, nor things present not things to come
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Just think of that. The choice is mine. More than conquerers! It is up to me. The situations and circumstances of life are not random, no, God has an interest in us!

Following this way that Jesus made is not restricting or stuffy, but rather liberating and exciting!

If faith is living and active, there is life and blessing. It is good.

So, armed with this mind to fight against bad thoughts and grumbling, today I am going to stay home, I hope. Then dentist just called. I forgot I had to write a note for Sonja to get picked up for the dentist. Paul is having his turn bringing a few kids. We used to split them up, but there got to be too many for two groups. Now, he just takes a few with him for his cleanings, and I take all the rest. We go in for cleanings every six months, or we are supposed to anyway. It gets sort of confusing sometimes, when someone has to cancel. We usually have someone to substitute. I am so glad I don't have to go today!!!

I am thinking about doing some baking today. And some laundry. And playing the water game and trying to fill the hot tub. Oh, when it is clean and fresh and the nights are dark and chilly...the steam...I could really use a soak right about now. Ha, and the day has just begun!