weekend happies.

there were several moments this weekend when i was so full of happiness i thought i might burst.

like when ben leaned in to give me a kiss, turned my face with his chubby little starfish hands and planted a big one right on my cheek.
he laughed like what i would imagine santa claus laughs like, throwing his head back, his face flushed red.
he did this over and over again, and each time i gasped and smiled so big, which only added to his laughter.

like when anna stepped outside this morning and exclaimed so loudly, "come quick everyone! it feels so good out here on the porch. the new jersey hurricane sent us some of its wind!"
john and i looked at each other and cracked up.
she was dead serious and so delighted in the cooler weather we have had for the past few days.

like when i watched john coach his football team this weekend.
and i listened to how he praised the boys for their efforts.
he focused on the positives of the games and what went well for them.
how he led them.
he is awesome at being a coach. so much better than i ever could be.

like when josh and his friend marcus secretly called my dad and asked him to come pick them up so they could go hunting for some grasshoppers at his house.
five minutes later my mom picked up all the big kids and whisked them away for a few hours.
ben was asleep and the house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
john and i, both sunburnt and exhausted from the day's football jamboree, celebrated the quiet with coke floats while we watched football cuddled up together on the couch.

like when we returned home from the football games on saturday, my mom couldn't stop telling me what a good boy ben is and how well he played while we were gone.
then, just to show off a bit, ben went through three stacks of flash cards, naming and signing each one!
my parents were so happy and excited to hear him say so many words in such a short time.

like when john took all of the kids fishing this morning and i stayed home to cook a big breakfast.
my dad called to see what we were up to and i told him the kids were fishing.
he decided to go up to the pond too and they all came home just in time for belgian waffles, bacon, hashbrown casserole and eggs!
i love having a table full of hungry mouths and lots of good food to fill their bellies!

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i'm sitting on the back porch and the breeze is blowing.
the sky is blue and full of big billowy cotton ball clouds.
there are orange and black butterflies flitting all through our flower beds.

i keep thinking, over and over again, i am so happy to be alive.
it sounds corny, but i am.

some days i feel rushed and hurried, tired and sad, overwhelmed and annoyed, anxious and worried.

today is not one of those days.

i feel...thankful, grateful, settled, peaceful.
so i'm going to shut down this computer and enjoy it while it lasts.

have a glorious sunday.