one day at a time

Every home has it's advantages and disadvantages.  If you live in town, you have to deal with neighbors who can see right into your living room, but you can walk to the post office.  If you live in the country, you have to drive everywhere, but you can walk outside in your pajamas.  I love living in the country.  The birds, the silence (on occasion), the stars, and of course the space.  I love that I can open my windows and turn the music up.  I love that my kids can be dirty and messy, and I can drag them in the house while still wearing my pajamas at noon  :)    **My apologies to the one family that lives near us and has to put up with these things!

I would; however, love to walk out my front door and over to a friend's house without driving.  I would love to sit on my front porch and watch life pass by, while I drink a lemonade and watch my well-groomed children play quietly on the porch with me ...  yeah I know. 

That would never happen ...

  

We have been loving life in the country this summer.  We have an oriole nest we are watching, 3 swings with more in the plans, and a garden that is still in the process.  We also have weeds up the wazoo and more projects than I can count.  Oh well ... one day at a time  :)

I think a house becomes a home when you discover something unique about where you live.  We didn't know where the toads lived last year.  We didn't know which trees would be the best to spread a picnic blanket under.  We didn't know where the best spot to roll down the hill was.  I'm sure we will uncover many more special things about our home in years to come, but we have made a couple of fun discoveries in the past few weeks.

Our yard has many beautiful oak trees, and lots of stumps as well.  Colin figured out that toads have taken up residence in several of these stumps.  Since the discovery, my older two children have had afternoons of nothing but chasing, feeding (so they tell me), catching and watching toads.

The second discovery has been a fun one to share with people who visit our home.  While Gwen and I were swinging a couple of weeks ago, all of a sudden she said, "Mom, look!  There's a heart on that tree!"  Thinking she was seeing something through the eyes of a 4-year-old, I told her she would have to show me when we were done swinging.  Then I actually looked where she was pointing, and saw this ...

Gwen has a knack for finding hearts.  She brings me rocks shaped like hearts, makes hearts out of leaves and flowers, loves to draw hearts, and makes hearts with her hands all the time.  So, it was fitting that she discovered this tree. 



Gwenyth Kay on her 5th birthday

I love that our children see things that we are oblivious to.  Slowing down.  Noticing.  Taking time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. 

My husband asked me when I started this blog why I titled it "one day at a time."  He thought it sounded daunting and negative and wasn't sure it was the right title for our family.  I understood his thoughts, but as I move forward, I feel like it is exactly right.  Sometimes we love our life, one day at a time.  Other times we deal with our life, one day at a time.  The message it sends to me is to appreciate each day and live in the moment, no matter if it is a "loving" moment or a "dealing" moment. 

We may not always be perfectly content where we are, but we can move forward with the knowledge that life isn't defined by our level of contentment.  It's defined more by how we react in times of difficulty and stress.  I do not define myself as a parent of a baby with Down syndrome.  I define myself as a parent of three amazing children who each bring joy and challenges to my life.

Worrying today does not empty tomorrow of its troubles; it empties today of it's strength." -JRR Tolkien