Cold Snap

 We are still in the middle of a nice little cold snap here in Alberta. It has made me so grateful for our warm home and the people I share it with! On Wednesday morning I fell down the stairs at 6:00am while carrying Finley. In an effort to keep him safe after slipping on the first carpeted step my leg bent back and I went skiing down the whole flight on my shin. My foot is a nice shade of blue and my toes are very colorful, not to mention the awesome rug burn. I have been limping around for a couple of days now and am grateful for helpful littles. 

This morning started early, like it always does. Before I even got a "good morning" out of my preschooler he was at my bedside demanding breakfast. Camilla woke with a fever and sore throat and asked if she could stay home today. She was so sick that she wasn't even sad to miss her school choir concert that afternoon. When it rains it pours around here it seems. I decided we'd have a pyjama day and take advantage of the fact that our doors were froze shut. I didn't think it was possible but the basement got even messier than it was and the dishes were left undone. Half of the kids slept the day away and the other half played and watched cartoons. It was a good day for fleece outfits and plaid!

 While Ollie enjoyed his afternoon nap the boys and I crafted in the kitchen. I saw this cute idea for footprint reindeer on the internet the other day and decided to give it a shot. We mixed some colors to make brown and called that our science experiment for the day. The boys had fun mushing paint between their toes and then soaking their feet in the kitchen sink. We improvised a little bit with the noses and pipe cleaners but I still love the way they turned out! It's always fun to craft with the littles!

The big boys promised me they'd do their chores once we finished. I was met with a lot of resistance though and ended up heading downstairs to switch over the laundry while they whined. I came back up to Joe unloading the cutlery and Hyrum stacking the plates. They decided to make it a team effort and got the dishwasher unloaded and the recycling taken out. It warmed my heart to see them working together!

I hung onto that moment as the chaos of dinner time erupted around me. Daddy informed me that he was going to be late and I was hanging on by a thread. The baby kept screaming every time I put him down, the boys were fighting, Finley was running around turning the lights on and off and making messes in my pantry. It took a lot to ignore the mess of dishes on my counter and the noise of life with four boys and keep cool. After asking Joe to quit begging me for food (because dinner would soon be ready) he shouted "I hate you!" and stomped down stairs. I rolled my eyes and got back to the Naan and five loaves of bread I had on the go.

Dinner made it to the table later then planned and I sat down with a (finally) sleeping baby on my back to eat. Joe took a look at his plate and whined, "This is horrible!" Half way through dinner a very full cup of water dumped into Hyrum's lap. As it splashed on the floor I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I surprised myself when a little laugh escaped my lips, even though it was more out of frustration than anything. I was about ready to give up when I heard the garage door open and Mr. Stannix walked in with flowers. He surveyed the damage, guessed I'd had a hard day, and hugged me tight.

I jammied the little boys while Mr. Stannix ate dinner and chatted with the older two at the table. Finley was overtired and giggly and Joe tried out his new cloth pull-ups for the first time. Sadly, they weren't quite what I was expecting and make him look like he's wearing a tutu under his jammies. Mr. Stannix stifled his laugh and tried not to choke on his dinner when he saw Joe for the first time in his puffy bummed cloth pull-ups. Despite how flustered I was feeling I couldn't help but laugh. We chuckled our way through family prayer and quickly tucked everyone in way later than usual! Joseph was warm to the touch when Daddy pulled up his covers and I fear he will wake up with this silly flu bug next.

I've learned a lot this week about perspective and how important it is to have gratitude and count our blessings. Whenever I complain about my rambunctious toddler on the phone to my Dad he reminds me how wonderful it is that I have a healthy, active boy to chase after. As I related to my mom the frustration of meeting head on with a hungry preschooler first thing each morning I found myself tearing up as I said the words, "I don't think I will EVER miss Joseph's 'Mom, get me breakfast!' first thing in the morning". Because the truth is, I will miss those dreaded four words when I no longer have hungry children coming to my bedside depending on me for food and nutrients. I know I will. I will miss all of this when they are all grown and gone and my house is silent. So this week I have chosen to be thankful for the baskets of laundry that I still have to fold, because it means we have clothes to wear. I am happy to endure my noisy boys because it means they are happy and thriving. I am glad for slamming doors, dirty dishes, and late bedtimes. I am maybe even grateful for my busted foot because it has caused me to slow down a little bit and focus on those things that matter most! 

"How much of life do we miss by waiting for the rainbow before thanking God for the rain." 

~Dieter F. Uchtdorf