Oh the poignant sweet joys of motherhood. Just in the last few days I have been amazed by several really commonplace moments just meaning a lot to me. Times when I kind of get a "life flashing before me" kind of feeling, a tiny bit of Heavenly perspective and a rush of Heavenly love for my children. Just watching Grace take her first few steps, playing with toys, clapping her hands and grinning at me so hard her little twinkly eyes almost disappear is so sweet, it does my full heart good.

George read his first "story" this week: see me eat. He was so excited. It has been wonderful to have this small bit of schooling that we've been doing be such a connector for us. His personality is the farthest from mine and I struggle with really sharing a common bond with him sometimes, but every day this week, we've been doing "school" and he has LOVED it, and really been blossoming. I can tell he is so proud of himself and I think he can tell I am so proud of him. He still gets frustrated sometimes if he doesn't get something the first time, but I have really been trying to calmly show him it's okay to make mistakes-that's how we learn. This is a very hard concept for him, because he's such a thinker and a perfectionist, but he has come a long way. A huge leap for him was to write an entire row of "e"'s without talking!!! I gave him hugs and high fives and stickers for that. His writing I am not concerned with so much, but it really is incredible for him to go that long without talking, even to himself. I know it was hard for him, but he did it. Anyway, so seeing George learn, and being excited about learning, and trying hard has just been so incredibly rewarding for me.

We have fallen into a routine of school time for George (while Grace is napping) is puzzle time for Ian. He has just really gotten into puzzles and Nathan bought him some new ones, and Karen gave us some she had. He just keeps working at it until he has it, and he loves doing them. I was holding Ian on my lap after naptime the other day and I said "I love you", and he looked at me and smiled and said "Oh, Fanks, Mama." It was so precious.

I love that all of my children have such differant personalities and they all bless and stretch me in their own special ways. I finished reading "A Full Quiver" and am really leaning towards that mentality. Nathan does not share my feelings, but he is open to me sharing some of the book with him. I don't know what the future holds, or more accurately, what the Lord holds for our future, but I think I have a better appreciation now for just how incredible a blessing children are, and that they are not "mine" but just entrusted to me to love and train, with the Lord's help to be servants of Him. It is sacred trust, and one I take far too lightly and shortsightedly. I believe the Lord is growing the desire within for another child now, and it scares me, but it forces me to lean on the Lord even more, just as having more children will.

I am so surprised at an unusual turn in my homemaking attitude in one small aspect this week. I have fallen in love with ironing. Anyone who knows me is laughing right now, because I am notorious for leaving laundry sitting wrinkled for days at a time, stuffing things in drawers, and leaving the house looking like recycled tissue paper, BUT, I have cleared all the junk out my bedroom and I don't like the ironing board in there anymore, so instead of leaving it there for Nate to iron every morning if he needs to, I decided to iron all his work clothes before I hung them up, and after he takes them off at night and then put the ironing board away. I know this is like a no brainer for the really competant homemakers out there, and they are all gasping in horror now that I haven't been doing this all along. In my defence, my husband likes to iron, and prefered to do it himself for a long time. He doesn't care so much now. Well, anyway, yesterday I was ironing and it struck me that it was very unlike all the other jobs that I do in my day-to-day. I have to iron slowly, and methodically, unlike dishes, or laundry or diaper changing or bathroom cleaning, or sweeping or vacuuming or dusting or anything else I could think of that I usually get done as quickly as possible. And instead it was slow, and calm and peaceful. And I prayed for my husband as I was ironing his clothes, that when he wore them he would know the presence and guidance of the Lord, that he would acknowledge Him in all his ways, and that he would remember what he has been called to and remain faithful to it. It was a good opportunity, a great visual reminder to me, which is what I need so often. I am thankful for the chance to do it.