The Little Things

There have been so many times in my life where I find myself getting so stressed out about the big stuff. I mean, who doesn't? Money, time, kids...you know, the kind of things that will have an impact on life as we know it. But what about the little things?

How many times are we talking to a friend and find that we are completly unglued over lots of little things, that add up to a big thing. Like, a check bounced, the car had a flat and 2 of the kids had parties in the same week that required gifts coming out a checking account that was already in the negative. We tend to focus on these things and get ourselves so worked up that we can't even think straight any more. What about the small stuff that isn't stressful? These are things that make us smile, and there are so many times in my life where I have looked right past these things and have not seen them. Why is that?

To that end I have tried harder. I have tried harder lately to see the small things that can make a difference on the opposite end of the spectrum from the negative end...

Things like...on my fridge sits a little note that came from school for Lacie. She had earned gold twice that day(I am not sure what that even meant....), and she got to go to the principals office for a treat and a little recognition. I want to keep that there to remind me that this sweet little ADD kid can do great things.

This morning after wetting his pants twice, Colby came to me with a darling little naked bum and said he needed clean undies for the third time today. When I asked him if at least got some in the toilet (because I did hear it flush), he looked at me with those huge, green eyes and said "yes mom, I got some in!".

Last night when Jon and Isaac had finally found a good football to throw around they played a while and when Jon said it was time to go in, Isaac bounded towards the house...but doubled back to find his dad and say "Thanks for playing catch with me dad..."

Sometimes we get so involved in the hard stuff that we neglect the good stuff. I am trying harder. Trying not only to see the good stuff, but to encourage it. I give out praise, hugs, kisses and loves just because they are alive and sometimes they earn a little more when they make a good choice.

I love my kids, I just want to make sure that they always know it and never doubt it. Every moment.