It's a Wonderful Life

Today was one of those wonderful days when the sun shone, we got lots done, and we simply enjoyed being a family throughout all of it. A timeline, with photos:

6:25 a.m.

Josiah's very much up and at 'em, although I tried valiantly to convince him it wasn't quite yet "wake up time." Ah well.

8:30 a.m.

We find a turtle crossing the street and heading into our next door neighbor's yard! Pretty soon we collect a bunch of neighbor kids to enjoy the visitor too. (We think it was an Eastern Box Turtle. So pretty.)

 

9:30 a.m.

En route to Central Market, we enjoy one of those fun programmed fountains where the water seems to jump and dance. We'll definitely be back on a hot summer day with Josiah's swim trunks.

10:00 a.m.

We arrive at Market to buy a week's worth of super-delicious, super-fresh, super-economical fruits and veggies for us and for Tim and Holly. Outside, a balloon lady makes Josiah a giraffe!

12:00 p.m.

Back home, we peek in on our robin's nest, built on the sill of our unused back kitchen door (the door is 15 feet off the ground since we're built into a hill and our back basement underneath is a walkout. There's a wooden gate nailed on the kitchen door since we've yet to add a deck to the back of the house, although that's eventually the plan for us or future owners). There was one bright blue egg in the nest on Monday, two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, and four Thursday. I think Mama Robin is done laying now. 

1:00 p.m.

We enjoy a yummy picnic out in the back yard. (That's not Josiah's pained face, it's his smile-on-demand face, by the way. Hard to differentiate, I know. See 1:15 p.m. photo for more.)

1:15 p.m.

Josiah poses for some photos while clambering around the rock wall. He says, "Look! I climb up like a goat!" We've never used this metaphor with him (to our recollection), so if one of you (readers) taught this to him, please inform us. For now, our humble conclusion is of course that he's got an IQ of several hundred. :)

4:00 p.m.

Several pairs of resident geese and their now pre-teen looking goslings process through the back yard along the creek. When they're not honking and being mean, they're so lovely and stately. 

This is what I actually caught with the camera. But before, between, and after these frames, lots more was accomplished and enjoyed: Jesse had a multi-hour board meeting at church, I graded a hefty pile of papers and calculated two classes' worth of final grades, we all worked in the back yard for hours, we ate healthy homemade meals and the kitchen was thoroughly cleaned, Josiah and I played with chalk in the driveway, Jesse and Josiah dropped off a mountain of yard waste at the local compost center and picked up an equivalent mountain of mulch, we read lots of stories, Josiah had a big bubble bath, Jesse cut down and chopped up a tree that was bothering its neighboring trees and vegetation, and...drum roll please...the most important accomplishment of all...

JOSIAH WORE BIG BOY UNDIES ALL DAY! Last night when we went to bed, I randomly decided to tell him (ahem, lie to him) this morning that we were all out of diapers. He bought it, to my shocked delight, and he successfully used the potty all day. We've known he's been able for months, but he usually tells us in complete and adamant sentences, "No, NOT the potty. I use my diaper." It's too early to celebrate victory yet, especially because I have no idea how to handle him going to day care on Monday again, since I feel these early days require full-time parental vigilance. No matter what, though, the high fives, hoorahs, hugs, and Tic Tacs (his favorite reward) have been plenty at our house all day. I'll need to catch on camera his adorable buns as he proudly and purposefully marches his potty to the bathroom to dump his wee-wees in the toilet. :)

So all that to say, today was absolutely great. In retrospect, I really have no idea how everything all actually fit in, and at one point, well over an hour into wielding a shovel and lifting mounds of incredibly heavy clay sod in the yard, it occurred to me that I'm indeed 4 months pregnant -- with the weariness, aches, and added weight that accompany the condition. As I type this (still with more marking to do before bed since senior grades are due by 9 a.m. tomorrow, and realizing that I haven't prepped the toddler Sunday School lesson for the morning, yikes!), I'm suddenly growing a little tired... 

But on that thought, tomorrow's Mother's Day, right? Here's to hoping tomorrow will be a different kind of great that involves perhaps just a little more relaxation but every bit as much family and fun!