Learning to say "I love that"

Signs, signs, everywhere signs......

#$%&-in' up the scenery, breaking my mind, do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign.....

Tesla? Anyone? Maybe I needed to put the f-word, I just couldn't

Anyway, lately I've been seeing signs again and again. It's now been a few months ago but I was having lunch with my friend Jenny. When I told her what our friend Ally was naming her baby (Hilton) she replied, "I love that. Tell her I love it! But I love everything. And every name." And I just thought, "I wish I felt that way........" I hate every name. It takes me days after birth to name my babies, and even then I don't love their name.

Then a couple of weeks ago I saw a pin that said, "Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest." I wish I could give credit but the pin didn't say and I don't have time to Google it. Anyway, for me it was another sign.......

For anyone who doesn't know we bought a lot several months ago and we are in the process of building a house. Process. We haven't even broken ground. It will happen. As we have started to go through ideas and make decisions about things I have found myself thinking, "Ugh, I hate that kind of tile. I hate that color. I hate that style......" I pretty much say that about everything that isn't EXACTLY what I want. Now that the process has started I've realized much of what I love could be out of our budget-so I better learn to love more things!! It's one of many reasons those signs of happiness have spoken to me. It's just an opinion, but I think it could be like research that says smiling can make you feel more positive. Telling myself I love more things might actually make me feel better about them!

So I'm working on it, not just with the house, but in general.

The kids have all been pretty hilarious lately. Ash is already antagonistic.....I can't believe that's already happening. I thought I had a few more years. She'll put her foot on Gracie's beloved blanket and Gracie will whine, "No Ash, that's MY blankie!!" Ash laughs and seconds later she's got her foot on there again, poised to start giggling when Gracie gets upset. They're sharing a room in the new house. This should be an awesome 15-20 years.

Oh Baby Jay.......he's into everything. He does things like climb over the back of the couch and go down the slide head-first. He also does things like eat toilet paper that he dipped in the toilet water.

 This is why he's pigpen.....

He's the "all-boy" people speak of. He's also a crack-up. He wasn't the happiest infant but he has turned out to be the happiest little guy. All you have to do is talk to him to get a smile.

And Ash....

She looks like she belongs in some other family but she's ours. When she's feeling down she's daddy's girl all the way. Gracie wanted NOTHING to do with Matt until she was a year old. But this one, she's always loved him.

And Gracie girl.....

She paints in her underwear. She's artsy, what can I say.

She loves her babies. She's got a mother's heart for sure. 

Just today I went to get her out of her car seat....her hair was sweaty and matted against her face and I just couldn't believe she was mine. Even with her sweaty head she looked like a little doll. We had gone through the car wash and she covered her face with her blankie so she wouldn't be afraid. I'm sure she sucked her thumb while she was at it. I didn't care, it was the first time we've gone through without her in hysterics.

And Gage.....

Gage?

He's seven and a half, and way too cool for pictures. WAY too cool.

Every once in a while I'm able to snap one or two....

 See how cool he is? Ha

Here is being a great big brother. Sometimes he thinks he's her parent and I have to remind him he's not. As much as I could let it annoy me I'm learning to say, "I love that". I love that he loves her.

Until next time.....

Love.

Everything. I love everything.