I recently had the pleasure of....

I recently had the pleasure of.....

...a tenth anniversary date with my Honey. It was our first date in about a year. A 95-minute lunch date, including travel time, to Olive Garden (via my birthday gift card from Dad). Too short, but very sweet. And hot food! Yeah!

...lots of snuggles with my Emily. Her interest in this ebbs and flows. I live for these snuggles.

...putting mild cortisone on Timothy's myriad of mosquito bites (from a night of camping). Playing nursemaid is one of my favorite Mommy blessings. Soothing my children makes me feel like a million bucks.

...witnessing Emily's growing independence. This morning, without waking us, she went to the kitchen and used a preschool chair to turn on the light, and then moved the chair over to the counter where her face cream was located. Her lip/mouth rash hurt and she knew exactly what to do, thank you very much. And then she helped herself to a cheese stick, because she can now open the fridge. Yikes!

...going to a campfire on the vast church grounds, where the boys and Daddy camped for a night to culminate their King David Outdoor Bible Camp experience. A young intern led music and we had the time of our lives. He had us wiggling our boodies and singing and clapping our hearts out. My children were totally uninhibited and wild with joy. I. will. remember. it. always. Priceless.

...holding Anna while she took a nap. This doesn't happen often anymore, but she is teething and falling asleep is very hard right now. She doesn't complain when it's playtime; her delight in her growing physical skills takes her mind off the pain, but sleep is just not happening much past 3 a.m., and the naps are harder to achieve. While she relaxed before this recent nap, she touched my face and hair for a long time, as if studying every inch of it. I am so in love!!!!

...snuggling with Daniel and showering him with praise. He drinks in every syllable, and I can see how desperately he needs these times with me. He's not one to snuggle, but Friday's night of camping left him seriously exhausted and willing to submit to some affection the next day.