Enjoying Life

Taking care of 3 little boys without the help of Jake has been challenging. I often find myself in survival mode, just trying to get us through the day. Sometimes I get so caught up in taking care of them and getting things done around the house that I forget to just enjoy my boys and this time in our life. I forget to take time to just play with them and laugh. Jake is so good at playing with them and I know they miss that so much. In church we are going through a series called The Art of Family. Last week the pastor said something that struck me. He talked about not just surviving raising your young kids, but striving to be a great mom filled with the love of God.

Today we had a really good day. I want to remember it and the way I feel tonight about each of our boys. I feel truly blessed and so thankful for each one of them.
It was the first time in months that Asher has been happy for an entire day! He is a very challenging baby and spends a lot of time crying, but today he smiled and cooed at me more than he ever has before. While the older two napped, Asher and I got to spend some quality time together. He was so happy and I was able to give him all my attention and soak in all of his sweet smiles.
William is my happy little man who always has a smile and a snuggle for me. My favorite time spent with him today happened just before bed. We sat in his monkey chair in his room and read together for about 15 minutes. He was pointing to the pictures in the book and telling me what everything was. It amazes me how quickly he is learning new words. He has just recently found a love for reading and I hope it is something that continues to grow.
Caden seems to be growing up so quickly. Every day after naps we take a walk around the neighborhood. It is a loop that is about 1/2 mile. The last couple of months, Caden has been riding his bike while I walk. He has really been practicing and is getting pretty good at riding it, so today Caden rode his bike really fast while I jogged and pushed the other two boys in the stroller. He went around the neighborhood 2 times without stopping. He had the biggest smile on his face and was so proud of himself. I was so proud of him! He wants to keep practicing so he can ride his bike with Jake when he gets home. Caden's love and enjoyment for life is something I hope he is able to hold onto forever.

So I'm ending the day filled with love and a sense of peace. There are dirty dishes in the sink and laundry to be done, but they can wait. Tonight I will go to bed happy and praising God for this day and my 3 amazing little boys.