Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

T. Bone.  This week I have really recognized how beautifully he is maturing.  I was impressed by how much discipline he exercised.  He had a crazy amount of homework this week (projects, year-end tests, quizzes and assignments) and he point blank tackled it head on.  He didn't balk and complain.  He didn't procrastinate or plow through it without attention to detail.  The other night I had to tell him to go to bed at 10:00 after homework, practice and more homework.  Last night he was so relieved when everything was finally complete that he went out to jump on the trampoline in the dark.  He was releasing stress he didn't even show cuz' my T. Bone just had it togther.  And he's also revealing himself to be insightful.  He matter of factly concluded that one of his friends is using him, another too competitive and another a know it all.  What struck me during this conversation was that he wasn't reproaching these friends, but rather trying to understand complicated dynamics and just what to do.  That reveals a strength of character many adults don't possess.  And truth be told he's competitive too.  He ran the mile this week in 6:26 after a fitful night's sleep and it was the first thing he told me when I picked him up before pretty much sharing the times of all the other 5th grade boys.  He's becoming more and more independent too.  Last weekend he went out for lunch with his friends.  They road their long boards to a nearby sub shop, and he even stopped in my sil's store to say hey.

Miss Bit.  This week I feel like she's still such a little girl.  I cannot believe she's going to be 8 at the end of the summer.  I swear when I'm on the phone with her, her sweet little voice is the same as when she was half that age.  This week I gave in and agreed to give her her allowance early so she could buy yet another stuffed animal for her ever growing collection.  She hasn't let Ellie Elephant out of her sight for long even taking her to school where she hid in her back pack all day long.  Her favorite pet is Peanut though by far.  He comes up to her room and relaxes while she gets ready in the morning.  I tried to hasten her the other day, and she reminded me, "I have to pet Peony for 2 more minutes.  I always pet him for 5 minutes and THEN I get dressed."  She loves snuggling in to read Little House with me or her dad, or better yet both of us in our big bed at the end of the day.  Right now she loves bleeding hearts, apple scented shampoo so much she's even showering when I haven't asked her to, and English cucumbers sliced real thin.  With her, it truly is the little things.  We went to order a fresh flower wreath to wear in her hair for her First Communion, and she wanted it to be just like the one I wore on my wedding day, but with a little pink...pale pink.  As we left, she thanked me and said she had so so much fun.

I'm grateful for my two, and the countless ways they bring joy to my every day.