7 Quick Takes Volume 6

1. This week has had its ups and downs, to say the least. My big up was this beautiful spring weather we've been having. The boys have spent each day outside for a good part of the day and loved every moment of it. The tulips, my favorite flower, in my mom's landscaping have been blooming and it's so nice to see green and vibrant colors everywhere now! It's nice to be able to head outside and not expecting to be hit with a gust of freezing cold air. I am very thankful for this beautiful weather!

2. With that said, my allergies are also in full bloom. I was thinking this morning that I'm thankful that these allergies mean that spring is finally here, but I can't say I'm excited about the allergies themselves. I just hope my children don't have to deal with these like I have.

3. The down of this week has been learning to be grateful in the hardtimes. Mr. H has had a rough month at work and we've been really struggling with complaining about our living situation and our lack of money. Seems ridiculous now that I'm writing it down, but at the time it seemed legitimate. Then, after writing to a group of women who've "known" me online since I was pregnant with Mr. 3-yo, I was reminded that we are NOT alone in our situation and that I really need to look at the blessings in my life: I have my faith and the freedom to practice it. I have a supportive, loving, faithful husband who would lay down his life for his family (and saved my brother from a hornet!). I have two beautiful boys that all the money in the world could not replace, even a piece of them. I have family that stands behind us in the way we've chosen to live our lives. I have friends, both locally and far away, who are always there for me. And really, I have all I need and then some...really, ZERO need to complain, and certainly zero reason to despair.

4. Speaking of my boys, they have been blossoming right before my eyes like the flowers outside - so quickly! Mr. 1-yo's word of the week was "NO!" and he's been saying it over and over and over. At least, it's in context so he means "no" when he says "no." He's also learned to say "please" but sometimes he's really stubborn and refuses to say it. And when that happens, he doesn't get what he wants. Mr. 3-yo learned to count to 30 by himself! He skips a couple numbers but he can do it and we didn't teach him :). And potty-training has been going so well! Less and less accidents. We still have night-time to work on, but overall, I am so relieved to only have one in diapers again :)!

5. I'm really excited for summer - I am signing Mr. 3-yo up for swim lessons!!! When he was a baby, he hated the water; he was terrified of it. Last year, when Mr. 1-yo was put in the pool and loved it, he decided to give it a try and has loved it ever since. So, swim lessons, here we come!

6. One of my closest friends from college is moving with her husband to about two and a half hours away from us! Mr. H and I are beyond excited about this! I've missed her so much (and she has an awesome husband too who Mr. H likes to hang out with)! She's lived so far away since college so 2 1/2 hrs is nothing. Now, if only I could convince everyone else to move here ;)...

7. I'm so thankful that we have the crucifix that we can meditate upon in our Catholic faith. It's a constant reminder to be grateful and to know that what I'm going through right now is not even a smidgen of what Christ went through FOR me, for us. I can't even put it into words, but it helps to keep me humble (and I need way more humility for sure).

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