Ordinary Miracles

Life this past week was full of what I call ordinary miracles- things that can happen to us any day and seem very routine and ordinary, yet are wonderful.

Phoenix and I were painting some paper plates, just for fun. And then I decided to abandon the paint brushes and finger paint (Phoenix quickly followed my lead, of course). The yellow and blue paint covering our hands quickly turned into green paint, and we had so much fun making hand prints and painting plates. I realized this was a moment to be remembered.

Another time, I decided to be BRAVE and make homemade bread. I have tried before but didn't do so well. Phoenix loves any opportunity to get his hands dirty so he quickly climbed onto a chair to help me. Every aspect of the bread making thrilled him- the rolling pin, the sticky dough, the messy flour. He was copying everything I did and it was adorable. In the end, we were covered in flour (as was the kitchen) but ended up making a great batch of rolls and a loaf of yummy bread that we just finished off this morning (thanks Wendy for teaching me and for your bread recipe!). Yum. If you've never made your own bread, I highly recommend it. The store bought bread doesn't even compare. It's like two different food products, the taste is so different. Another moment to be remembered.

Joslynn has a lot to offer. If any of you don't know her yet, she is a very sweet girl who loves to have fun. She rarely cries and is ready to smile any time. We have so much fun laughing and giggling. She loves our dog, loves her Daddy because he will wrestle her, and loves her brother because he does things to make her laugh. Her new thing is making noises with her mouth. I will click my tongue or make some other sound, and she is really good at copying me. I am surprised by how much personality she has for only being 8 months old. Phoenix tends to be intense, loud, and boisterous. Joslynn is very feminine and observant, but she has this fun, bouncy side of her that we all enjoy so much. She is like her Dad in this way- she likes to have fun and be silly. And like any girl, she has become very chatty.

Isaac and I looked through our memory box yesterday and reminisced about "the old days". It was good to look back on old letters, cards, and pictures of us from when we first met and started dating. I concluded 2 things: One, I love Isaac so much and remembering the past reminded me of that! And two, we are getting old. We might only be in our twenties but pictures don't lie. Five years of marriage and two kids later, we don't look quite so fresh and thin! Ha ha. But I enjoy growing older with my best friend. It brings lots of moments to remember.

As a stay-at-home wife and mother, most days are filled with things like cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, paying bills, and the like. And then there are those occasional moments that catch you by surprise. The finger painting, bread making, and so many other things are what make my life worth all the diapers and crying and time-outs and "If you do that one more time, I will scream!!!" At the end of the non-animated version of Charlotte's Web, there is a song called "Ordinary Miracle". I love the song and find it very fitting as my theme song.

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18