A perfect day

Every so often God hands us a perfect day. It is always totally unexpected. Fragile like a newly crafted snowflake, it drifts down from the sky of motherhood to bless us with an icy kiss once in a blue moon.

Anyway, I was not expecting any perfect days today. The day we return to "normal" after a vacation is always hard. Daddy went back to work and I knew we would all be missing him while we picked up our routines. 

For example: this is what I was expecting. (Because this was similar to how the return to school from thanksgiving went.) 

So, yesterday I wisely decided not to start school on Monday, but to instead have a reset day. A screen-free reset day, because the amount of screen time we have on vacation is always obscene. Everyone spends 3-6 hours a day playing video games, watching movies, or staring at tiny reels on their phone with kids smooshed around them...it's bad. 

Yes, I realize we have a screen problem in our home, but it's only on vacation. And when we are sick. And sometimes weekends. I'm working on it. 

But regardless, I was expecting bad attitudes and chaos instead everyone has been playing nicely together! And it was in the 50s this morning and everyone went outside! And played together! After we got out our new game Throw Throw Burrito (I lost each time because I had to throw my burrito while holding a nursing Esther...) and we played Color Code and I read two chapters of our free read, Winter Holiday and we painted after lunch...a lunch that everyone happily ate. Reuben made some of his Christmas gift legos and Becky had a tiny tea party in her room with her new tea pot (I broke her old one. Yes, me. Accidentally. She cried. I felt terrible.) and Esther...well, Esther got into the doll stuff and destroyed a dolly book, but she's two and I should have known what was going on because of how quiet she was. 

Even perfect days have their bumps. We saved all the pages to staple back together. 

But, the great thing was that instead of Becky losing it and crying or yelling at Esther, she gently told Esther how it made her feel and helped me gather up all the pieces to assemble later. Such a big moment for my sensitive seven year old--and what kid likes their stuff destroyed? Little sisters should come with warning labels. I guess moms should too--poor teapot.

After Esther's nap the kids made a huge tent and played in it together as well. I read my bible and did my devotions and sat in happy contentment thanking God for such an amazing day. 

We've also done two loads of dishes and two of laundry and picked up the living room twice. I'm making tacos for dinner dreaming of some crochet after, if I can find a task to entertain the toddler. I just got my yarn in to finish up the granny square sweater that has been literally calling my name for months while I waited for funds to get the yarn I needed...since I was using stash yarn and making it up on the fly...anyway, I have new yellow yarn and the excitement is at peak capacity. I want to finish this thing so I can wear it! 

God is so good to me even when I don't deserve it. Thank you Lord for the good and the bad days! May I learn to roll with the imperfections, interruptions and my snarky inner dialogue...

I wonder what tomorrow will be like?