Finding my joy.

This morning I woke up to a familiar, pouty face:  "Mommy.  I pooped."  After being potty trained for over a year, Pierce has decided he just doesn't care about making it to the toilet anymore.  I said, "Pierce!  What are we going to do about this??"  He looked at me with those big baby blues and said, "Can we start by cleaning up my butt?"

I can't lie.  It hasn't been easy here lately.  Cassie got sick last week after feasting on a ham hock bone (NOTE TO ALL DOG OWNERS OUT THERE - Do not give your dogs ANY kind of bone, even ones that aren't chicken bones.  It was the single most expensive chew toy we've ever given her.)  Needless to say, the house was a MESS.  And Mark was out of town.  Which he received more than a little grief for.  After the incident this morning Tristan told Pierce, "Aw man Pierce.  You know, Mommy really doesn't like cleaning up poo."  Such wise words for a 5 year old.

And speaking of 5 year olds.  I think God is testing my patience with ours.  You'd think we were living with a teenager.  If it is possible to disagree with a statement, he will find a way.  I'll say, "Wow it's a beautiful day" and he'll say "NO MOM - It's a beautiful AFTERNOON."  You get my point. 

Amidst all of this I struggle some days to find my joy.  And yet, there is so much joy, so much to be thankful for.  A friend of mine is documenting a photo each day to remember the little things - Really, the most important things - that bring joy to each day.  So - welcome to my joy.  It is my New Year's resolution, after all, and the Type A in me (that struggles each and every day) is determined to succeed - Resolute, if you will. 

Each morning we rush, rush, rush to finish breakfast, put on our clothes (yes, your shirt.  yes, your pants.  yes, you your underwear too.  yes, you must wear a coat.  don't forget your other sock.  oops your shoes are on the wrong feet again.)  and we finally head out the door.  Most mornings we plop into our seats in the van in a funk of a mood all worn out already from the morning's fire drill. 

Each afternoon when I pick T (or, on some days, T & P) up from school there are usually 30 seconds before the first complaint starts.  I don't WANT grilled cheese.  Why didn't you bring me a snack.  I don't remember what I did at school today.  Why do you have to keep asking me about my day.  I don't LIKE wearing my coat.  I want my shoes OFF OFF OFF. 

Which brings me to the joy.  Where is the FREAKIN JOY??? 

It is all I can do to keep myself from tearing my hair out and shouting YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT FOR LUNCH!  YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO DON'T EVEN OWN A COAT!  YOUR BRAND NEW WAY TOO EXPENSIVE SHOES FIT YOUR CRAZY LARGE NEVER STOP GROWING FEET!  YOU ARE BLESSED, BLESSED, BLESSED!!!! 

So here is my plan. 

Plan #1:  Find the joy in the mornings.  Each morning, after we successfully put on every article of necessary clothing and finally make it into the car, I summon up all the chipperness I can find and ask everyone what they're thankful for that morning.  My answer is usually fresh coffee.  Hey, it's the little things.  It's Wednesday and - SUCCESS! - We finally got a pleasant answer from everyone this morning.

Plan #2:  Find the joy in the afternoons.  Each day when I pick up one or two boys from their respective schools, I no longer ask them about their day/ craft/ recess/ snack time.  I ask them what made them happy today at school.  So far - sweeping success.  We last at least two whole minutes now before getting grumpy.  I'll take it.

Plan #3:  Find the joy throughout the day.  I am going to try to take a picture every day that captures some amount of joy so I can remember (and, perhaps, you can too) that even when we go through rougher patches in our lives, there is always a heaping amount of joy that we can focus on.   

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

And since this is my first joy entry, I've included a few pictures.  Heck, you can't have too much joy, right??

I am so thankful for my awesome, incredible, fun-loving husband.  He plays monster, pirate, super hero, and villain, often times at the end of an incredibly exhausting day, so I can sit down and relax.  My hero. 

I am thankful that the kids haven't fought over the Star Wars gun yet today.  Pierce is thankful he got to play with it all by himself this morning.  Look at that joy. 

And I am thankful that we found a king cake at the grocery store this morning.  I hope it's as good as it smells.  I'm so excited but I'm making the kids wait until after Quiet Time.  So it would set a bad example if I ate some before, right?  Right? 

Here's to joy guys.  Hope you all get your piece today.