aaah....

What makes me happy? Right now, something very simple...Mr. Kitty Kitten a.k.a Mr. Swanson, curled up under my chin, running his little engine as loud as can be. Rosie is taking her morning nap in her cage, and Camille is still sleeping.

Yesterday...it was rainy and cold, and Mali was home. We decided to take the books back to the library before we owned them, and then stopped at a different Wegman's than we usually go to. It is a warm and welcoming grocery store, with excellent private label items, super yummy bakery stuff, superior meats and produce, and good prices on most things. We decided to get some of the Wokery food to go...I got a little of this and a little of that, and when it was weighed at the register, it was a pound. Ouch, I ate a pound of food. Way way too much. Some of it WAS broccoli, but still. I had only salad for dinner last night.

Mali and I decided to go to Target while we were out, and she found a few pair of running shorts on clearance. I noticed that a princess pool toy that was marked down last week, which Camille had asked for and I said No - it was Too Expensive, was marked down more, to 75% off...so I picked it up and handed it to Camille...she said, "Oh, is this cheap now so I can get it?" rrr. She has caught on. Then later in the store she found something and asked in her NOT quiet way, "Can I get this when it gets cheap?"

Emily came for a visit last evening. She brought four of the kids to soccer, and listened to the younger kids talk about school. She reminds me of my mother the way she gives them the time of day.

I think that is such a foundation for life for kids, to listen to them and talk with them, it gives them security and makes them feel like they matter.

I did talk to my son Benjamin the other day. I can't remember if I wrote about that yet. He is deploying in February, but is coming home for Christmas. He plans to drive from Washington State to New York state because Ashley will be staying here when he leaves for Afghanistan, and they need to bring their car here, and perhaps a U-haul with their stuff in it. His assignment in Afghanistan sounds terribly dangerous, it un-nerved me, but then I realized that as his mother, I cannot be flipping out in fear, I have to be positive and encouraging! He sounded nervous enough about it. So I reminded him that God has had His hand on him all his life, this will be no exception. Jesus did say that we can't add anything to our lives by being anxious. And that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Tonight we have big plans. The older kids are going to the Friday night youth meeting, so Paul and I will take Suzanne and Sonja and Jonathan and Charlotte Claire and Camille to the rec. center pool. It is great fun for them, especially because they love playing with Daddy in the water. It is fun for us because it tends to tire them out...ha, evil motives.

I ran a little again yesterday when I took Rosie for her second walk...not a long stretch, just long enough to show me what terrible shape I am in. I huffed and gasped...it was downright discouraging at first. So I ran a little bit again this morning...it wasn't magically easier yet.

Camille is up now, wearing a sweet little flannel nightgown, cuddled up to me in my chair...the Kitten AND Camille...yes, life is good.