I could complain...

But I won't.
Let's just say the last week or so with the kids has been a little rough. Not on my part, I must say I've held together magnificently under the pressure, but with nuts-o sleeping schedules the kids have suddenly adopted (bedtime routine was just...not good, I'll leave it at that), it's been challenging.
However, under it all there has been this constant river of "feel-goodness". I am blessed, let me just say that, and I am grateful for it. Being at home is no picnic, but it is wonderful. I've had a couple kids I've watched at home here and there for other families and I have loved it- even when once a lamp got knocked over by a weeping, wailing, and gnashing child who was having a hard time being consoled, and the glass shattered all over my carpet, and then every child in my house was weeping, wailing, and gnashing and I felt like joining them, I didn't. I was grateful. I was laughing. I was at home. I am at home. I hesitate saying that, because I know when I read blogs of other Moms who were able to do this, I envied them when they gushed about it while I was working, and here I am gushing, but I decided that was my problem, not theirs, this really is the best job in the world and I am blessed to have it.
Things I have been thankful for:

• Telling my children the stories of Jesus, which they now ask me to tell them almost everyday. It really really warms my heart that they genuinely want to know about him, they ask me why he had to die almost everyday, and rejoice when we talk about his resurrection over and over again like I'm telling it for the first time each time. Lovely lovely lovely.
  
• We all went to Craig's hockey game last week. Before we left, I was talking to Craig's dad about the next day's schedule since Grandma Ellingson is out helping the newest addition to the family in Yuma and I was helping fill in some gaps here and there, and when I told him I was going to the hockey game he asked, "Do you need us to watch the kids tonight so you can go?" and I said "Nope, we're all going, thanks!" When I was working, I was not readily excited to handle all three kids in public situations easily, so the fact that that wasn't even a concern to me filled me with pride. And the kids melted down at the rink and I was able to reign them back in and it was great!
  
• When I now ask Linus to "do me a quick favor" and he replies, "Yep, I can!"
• When I see Chloe actually learning things I've been teaching her in our preschool lessons every day. Those lessons are some of my most cherished moments with her.
  
• When Odell lays her head on my should every time I pick her up for a hug, and she says "Mmmmm!" like she's getting a really good squeeze out of it. None of my other kids cuddled at her age, it's just about the sweetest thing I've ever experienced.
  
• My kids dancing. I don't upload videos all that often, but I felt like this one was worth preserving. By the way, we've listened to this song a lot lately.
  

I especially love it when Linus takes off his sunglasses so he can really get into it. This probably isn't as funny to everyone else as it is to me, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it any less. :-)