Blessed

Today is November 1...first of all, how in the world is it already November?  But second of all, November is my favorite month and I am secretly super happy it is here!  Some of my favorite people celebrate their birthdays this month, we all celebrate my favorite holiday, the weather and scenary (at least in Indiana) is my very favorite this time of year AND it is an entire month dedicated to being thankful.  Who doesn't need reminded every now and then how blessed we truly are?  There is much to be thankful for and today I find myself thinking about how lucky I am. 

Today was an awesome day because Joey and I had NO PLANS.  I'm not sure you can really grasp how glorious a feeling that is, to have no plans.  I am a very scheduled/regimented person and I normally love the busy pace I keep day in and day out but a girl needs a break every now and then and I was thrilled to take one today.  I hit the gym for a nice workout early and got some typing in while enjoying a hot cup of coffee and a new creamer flavor (white chocolate carmel latte....yummy)!  Joey and I then cleaned the house and took down the Halloween decor and put up the Thanksgiving decorations.  My dad and sister were making fun of me yesterday for all the "old school" halloween decorations I have.  I suppose the term decorations should be used lightly as my decor consists of old craft projects the boys have made over the years.  I love them all...and yes, I keep them all and lovingly pack them away each year and delight in getting them out and proudly displaying them with every change in holiday.  I have officially become my mother.

I digress. Back to my easy breezy day...after sharing a lovely lunch consisting of leftover pizza and breadsticks and some halloween candy for dessert (so healthy) with my Joe Bug, we decided to venture out of the house. We tried to go work in the teacher's workroom at Ben's school but there was no work to be done so we headed to the library instead.  We discovered a new I Spy game on the computers and played for nearly an hour until it was time to pick up Ben. 

The boys have been getting along beautifully and speaking very kindly to each other since we got home (something to be very thankful for indeed) and are now enjoying a movie while I am supposed to be working.  I like listening to them talk (in kind voices) to one another and just thought I would take a minute to share. 

I sometimes feel like this blog is a farce because I tend to only write when I am feeling especially warm and fuzzy and I promise that we have ugly moments every single day when life is not sunshine and rainbows.  However, when I think back to my boys as babies, I don't remember the long nights and the exhaustion. I don't remember the smell of dried breastmilk that constantly was crusted on the shoulders of my shirt or the way I would count down the hours until Dean would walk in the door, desparate for adult interaction.  I have to really strain to remember crying softly in the hallway as the boys screamed loudly in their beds, both of us desparate for sleep.  I instead remember how sweet their hair smelled when they came out of a bath, how good it felt to be called mommy for the first time, how I fell in love with Dean in an entirely new way when I watched him snuggle our babies.  I don't remember the bad stuff, I long for and love thinking about all the good, wonderful, miraculous, amazing good stuff. 

And so, I forgive myself for mostly writing about the good stuff.  That is what I choose to take with me and remember when I am old and my boys are no longer in the other room, but maybe even in another state.  I choose to remember how much I loved my busy days but how much of a treat it was to have a simple, quiet day as well.  So much to be thankful for and so many sweet memories made each and every day.