gratitude
*edit* later. . . . . . .
Today was the first day the children were able to play on the frozen solid very safe pond. (I wrote all that so my Mom wouldn’t worry). Rich went all over it, jumping and testing it to be sure.
Ethan and Grace shared a pair of ice skates. I looked out the window once just in time to watch Ethan kneel down in front of Grace, who was perched on a rock like a queen on her thrown. Ethan pulled off her boots and put the skates on her feet. When he was done, she got down and clomped off, and E stood up and pulled on his gloves. The whole exchange was done nonchalantly. But, this Momma was PROUD and glad to have witnessed this loving act.
Ethan and Jacob can start on their sled up here by the house, glide down the hill, turn, and go down the bank onto the pond and across to the other side. When I saw THAT, I was amazed!
We made homemade chili today.
Grace fell on the pond and hit her head on the ice and Rich ran right down to her and carried her up to the house. When they came in she told me, “I was wishing Dad would come and then he was RIGHT THERE.”
I have been resting all day. I overdid it yesterday and was extremely distraught by the end of the day. . . when I was finally in bed I cried instead of sleeping. It was after midnight before I was asleep. And of course Caleb woke up at the difficult hour of 5.
So, I rested and spent time on my bed going through a stack of old “Real Simple” magazines. It’s so therapeutic to do so with a pair of scissors, a journal, and some glue. I have a little pile of clippings to send off to dear Joanna (my tried and true friend since college days, we’ve written back and forth and kept in constant touch for over 10 years now).
My cat has kept me company all day. I was wearing a new necklace and he likes to look at it and get it with his teeth! Another time I was laying on my back, propped up on pillows reading and he reached up to “get my eye’ that he noticed was moving back and forth, back and forth across the words of the book. Of course he was very careful not to scratch. (He’s on my lap now as I type.)
The “birds” are all tucked into bed for the night. It’s been a busy day. A good family day for us, all together.
Good to be Home 
wow…neat pictures…
cool pics! I want to touch the last one! =]
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful pictures. 🙂 i especailly like the one of Grace in that last post you made. your kids are adorable!
I just love those pictures they are so cool. Marlo
What breath taking pictures, Shanda!
gorgeous photos!
Oh, I love the blue ice one.
Wow, looks so amazing and beautiful. The memories that your children are making are priceless. They will talk of these times forever. Beautiful, just beautiful. I love Real Simple too. Wouldn’t it be fun to get together, drink some Starbucks coffee, lay out our magazines and just read and cut, paste, and write in our journals? I would love that. Hope you get some better sleep tonight. Praying your sleep will be sweet. 🙂
Missed you today. I’m glad you got some rest. Take care. Love, Trish
I’m so glad you had a good day. I was hoping you were just laying low and there wasn’t a horrible sickness going around your family. Sometimes you just need to take a rest from everything. I love the pictures. The kids sound like they are having such a good time around your home. I am so happy for you.
That is so sweet that your son shared his skates with his sister. Keep up the good work my friend
Great pictures. I hope you feel refreshed and renewed. What a sweet brother to share and take such gentle care with his sister that way. BlessingsMelody
Great post. I don’t know, but there was something peaceful to it, even with the hurt head story. Enjoy tomorrow and hopefully it, too, will be restful.
I always love to “catch” my kids being loving to one another.
Beautiful pics. Hope you’re feeling better soon. ~Laurel
Beautiful pictures — you do such a great job! (taking pictures and writing). Have a good day. God bless.
What a sweet story and a proud mommy moment!!Love your safety disclaimer for your mom too LOL.
Your day seems as if it was simply wonderful! I have a subscription to Real Simple, I love it.
I love the pictures of the ice! It is so pretty! I just wish it didn’t mean cold weather! I remember skating on a pond when I was little…what great memories your kids are going to have! 🙂
Reminds me of sliding on the stream that ran behind my grandparent’s house. I love those memories! Your kids will be blessed by these times.
Do you live in heaven? YOU MUST LIVE IN HEAVEN!!! Awesome!! 🙂 Sounds like your day was sorta like mine…..I cried half the afternoon and laid in bed, my aunt had a heartattack and wasn’t expected to live. 😦 Please pray for her.
Your family is gorgeous! -casandra
My kids are just waiting for the ice to be ready near us. They have been roller-blading in the basement -preparing for the day the ice is hard enough.
Your pictures of the ice remind me of the creek that we played in so often when we were little. (I won’t use young – because we will always be young together!)
What a sweet moment between your son and daughter! He will surely be a loving husband and father someday. The pictures are truly amazing: there is such beauty in simplicity! Glad you enjoyed a blessed time to relax and reflect. Have a wonderful, beautiful day! 🙂 Love, Heather
what gorgeous pictures! glad you were able to get some rest. I have become physically (as well as emotionally) wiped out and I was able to nap for a few hours after church yesterday. nothing like a cold afternoon under the covers!
So beautiful! I am not a cold weather person..I just tolerate it BUT your photographs have really sold me on it! I am looking forward to a nice little snow. I miss those LONG days outdoors when my children never seemed to mind the cold wet snow. Those days were so good…they loved it and I loved it for them. My youngest is 15 and we really did not even have a good snow last year…I hope he gets a good sledding snow before he is all grown up.And…Hooray for Daddies….they come to the rescue just when we need it.
Thank you! I was thinking about all the hats at once. I am trying to come up with a nifty way to do that. I think I am having a mental block! But I have taken a bunch with members of the family doing various things with one of them on…so I will show them soon! Susan
It was fun snapping those pictures of Abby: she was just being silly on the couch. Those Oreo brownies are dangerous!! 🙂 My husband is doing great – thanks for asking. He went for his follow-up yesterday afternoon, and the doctor says everything looks great, and since he is recovering so well he can return to his normal activities. I told him to take it slow, but you know how determined men can be sometimes! 🙂 Have a great day! Love, Heather
You always take such amazing pictures!! You have a great eye for them!!Blessings,Angie
Just finally caught up on your blog. Your pictures just keep getting better!
Does Caleb like to watch Curious George on PBS? Sweetie Pooh can’t get enough of it, and I think of David and Caleb every time we watch.
I’m sorry to see you haven’t been feeling well. I’m praying for you!
Love the pics. We have had just a few inches of snow and a couple cold days. It has not been a real IL winter here. Your pictures remind me of all the great things about winter. Enjoy the special moments!
It’s always good to have a day to relax and recharge your batteries. Nice photos. That was special that you were able to see your children like that. Have a good day!
I enjoyed your strikingly honest and humble reflections of your day. God’s grace is with you dear mother of five beautiful and busy children.
Shanda what you wrote about Rich racing down to Gee and carrying her up…it is beautiful. It has an illustration in there somewhere, maybe of how we feel when we are under God’s wings. I don’t know, but the image you portrayed of a father’s love was so deep and wonderful.