I cried out to the Lord for patience and willingness for things to not go my way today, with all three kids home all day and one sick. I felt encouraged by the Lord to take stock of the wonderful things right in front of me today. To not to pre-determined the day to be a disappointment or a failure, but to see where it would go and what beauty it might hold, even though it is unplanned beauty.
I felt the nudge to pick up my camera as Jackson and Cosette navigated one of their first real card games that they were both enjoying (pics at the end of this post). My first idea was to use the moment to work on layering, a photography technique where you layer contextual element in the foreground and background of your subject to give the subject more story. However, once I started taking pictures, I found that there were so many everyday things around the house that I never really photographed. Parts of every day life that usually bother me: cluttered counter-tops, Cheerios all over the floor, toys not picked up from the day before - general chaos and unrest from my usual perspective. I started trying to photograph these elements of daily life as maybe a "day-in-the-life" series. It turned out that when you photograph these cluttered elements (especially with your lens wide open), they don't look so cluttered. There's a loveliness to some of these every day objects. Color, symmetry, whimsy. It was actually hard to make the mess look as chaotic as it feels to me.
Little toes make everything fun
Homework - This was left out and bugged me, but Wow! look at how much Jack's writing has progressed this year! He came up with this sequential story on his own.
Smushed Cheerios
My laptop area of the kitchen island invaded by all kinds of family items.
Sweet feet
A moment of joy deciding which neat dish cloth to use
My favorite kitchen appliance. We got this basic toaster as a wedding gift and almost 9 years later it's still toasting away! So thankful for yummy toast
Crispy
Paint cup we've been using for our morning paint-time
Art produced by Mommy and Coco's join efforts
Kitchen Gerbers
Never thought my fridge would look like this. Pretty accurately represents our lives
Took a pic of the things Dan leaves around. I seem to have a special radar for things Dan doesn't put away, even though they are like 0.05% of the things laying around, but they bother me 90% of the time. This is an attempt to remember that Dan owns like 3 things in this world, and is simply happy to have an AM radio to listen to the Giants game and so-what if it's on the counter (working on my attitude here).
Yesterday's partially done plan of attack.
Finally dealing with the Cherrios
A quiet millisecond
I've been reading a book called "Seasons of a Mother's Heart" and the author discusses the empty nest feeling when her kids began to leave home. This seems eons away for me. It's just year after year of the same thing happening over and over again. I can't imagine a day without children running wild around my house. Or my house becoming a spot just for holidays, where there are no toys and yelling and running feet and giggling and ridiculously early hours going on day after day. That day feels 1 million years away, when in reality it's not that far. It's very easy to miss and failed to cherish and celebrate the amazing gift of having little kids at home. I know I'm saturated and get overwhelmed by it and get all too much of it all too often, but that's no excuse to not take stock and love the little things about my children and this season of life.
Some of the things I didn't capture today were Graham using my electric toothbrush for the first time and find it to be hilarious and intriguing, Jackson and Cosette making peace after Coco tore his special drawing. Graham learning to use the little toy that you push by head and it rolls across the floor for the first time. I was surprised to find such a mundane day full of first and never before's and little miracles.
World's Saddest Baby
Cheerios, again
Window Peaker
This is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. Jackson and Cosette are dancing together on top of the deck box. Looks like they are waltzing.
Look down and see a little Lion Popper looking up at you. Little comic moments all around when you live in toy land.
Coco's Banana Chocolate Muffins. This is the 20th time or so. She's an expert
Love this picture!
Time for Mickey.
Blueberry King! I need to capture this obsession before he moves on.
Climber
Cruiser. Surprised he's still not walking, but happy to enjoy a bit more cruising before he toddles.
Prenap story time. Can tell Jack's starting to fade here.
So happy to wake up from his nap!
The smile and the teeth in their full glory!
Cosette said "I'm getting a drink out of the hose."
I said "Don't get soaked"
She got soaked
A wet dress isn't as fun as it looks
Some of the things I didn't capture today were Graham using my electric toothbrush for the first time and find it to be hilarious and intriguing, Jackson and Cosette making peace after Coco tore his special drawing. Graham learning to use the little toy that you push by head and it rolls across the floor for the first time. I was surprised to find such a mundane day full of first and never before's and little miracles.
Oh yes, I got frustrated with the kids today. I got angry when Cosette didn't obey "all the way and right away." I was impatient, they did not behave perfectly, but that's probably more the exception than the rule of the day.
Game of war. Negotiating the terms successfully
Graham joins the game to add a touch of chaos
He's trying to help
Cosette getting mad at him and growling "No Graham!" in his face. This happens constantly.
"Mixed up, fixed up." That's a phrase my kids use a lot. I don't know what it means, but probably something like this.
Love these pictures. Getting into a conflict and resolving it themselves.
Peace offering. It better be a face card or Cosette will see right through the gesture.
