These Moments

To say the beginning of school is busy is an understatement.  Add multiple curriculum nights, the kids' activities beginning, Sarah's meetings, Andy's travel schedule, and these past weeks have been a blur.  Every year at this time, I do something that tells me I need to slow down.  One year, I scheduled a substitute for the wrong day.  This year, I took Addy to a meeting that wasn't until next week.  Poor Sarah is crashing in bed around 7:30pm from her new school schedule, but we are surviving.    So when Andy texted me the Thursday before Labor Day about a quick over-nighter up north, I jumped at the chance for all of us to get away.

The trip was one comedic error after another from the moment we started the journey until we arrived back home, but the kids enjoyed themselves and we left the cluttered home and work schedules behind for a brief 24 hours.

The weather was cold and rainy, but that did not stop our kids from living in the moment and celebrating our time together.

Sarah enjoyed her first time at an amusement park, and was thrilled when we found rides that she could go on.

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Thank you to all who emailed me about a website for glasses that are designed specifically for kids with Ds.  The ones we ordered from the doctor do not stay on, so we'll most likely be ordering another pair.  We're learning:)
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Sarah's adjustment to the preschool is wonderful.  I was able to meet her teachers at curriculum night and share her story.  They were apologetic about the red marker that was all over her clothes when she came home.   My response,"Clothes are replaceable.  Experiences aren't.  Everything is new and she loves to try and experiment!"

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 On this day of remembering, my heart is filled with gratitude on so many levels.  I was teaching first grade ten years ago, Andy was in another state, and I was scared to bring a child into this world, where something like that could happen.

Until I heard the words, "If we live in the state of fear, we let them win."

One year later, Addy was born.

Seventeen months later, Austin came into the world.

Seven years later, we crossed the globe and lived in another country for seven weeks to bring home Sarah.

Our gifts, our blessings, our love.  Our glass is always half-full, knowing we are bountifully blessed with our family and friends.  May you all celebrate the gifts you've been given and be filled with gratitude, no matter how big or small.

Gratitude...it's a wonderful thing.