Accentuating the positive

Kite flying last week

Watching the herring run

This has been a bit of a downer week.  My patients have been complex and difficult to help and the weather has been gloomy.  You know those days that you wake up and just want to crawl right back in bed, the sky is gray it seems to say maybe we should just be weepy together.  I've had a few of those this week.  Luckily through some good shed tears, I've been able to prayerfully seek answers and have felt the tender mercy of our heavenly father giving me little rays of sunshine through the gloomy clouds.  One of those rays is actually this blog.  As I was thinking about what to write and browsing through pictures I remembered the fun we just had going to the park and flying kites, seeing the herring run, and walking by the shore.  The cloudy days will come but if we look for the sun we'll see it peeping through the clouds.

What little rays have you seen today?

I am really trying to focus on commenting on the positive things my kids say and do.  I know people always talk about the "dreaded teenage years."  Somehow as a parent I thought I would be better than all that, enjoy the growth and development, try to see it from a fresh perspective.  I talk in the office about comparing a teen to a toddler only instead of learning to walk and talk they are learning how to be an adult.  I just never realized how much some individuals don't want to be adults, they want all the privileges but none of the responsibility or consequence.  At least with a toddler you can pick them up and put them in their crib for time out; having your teenager follow you around the house pointing out all the flaws in your character is just not what I had planned.  Shortly thereafter the same lovely teen wanted all my attention to tell me about their day as if they had not just treated me as their own emotional punching bag.

While my kids are learning to be adults, I am learning much, much more about unconditional love and self control.  I am backing away from pointing out their flaws and giving them praise for anything good I catch them doing.  I'm happy I'm learning to be a glass half full person by always looking for the good - certainly not easy to do all day but it's nice to pick up each new day and start again - it's also opened my eyes to how I see myself.  I am always looking at how I can do better and improve but as I look at things to praise about my kids, I have started to give myself a pat on the back here or there and realized I am quite successful at what I do and I don't always need to focus on the next step but sometimes take joy in the current success (like getting out of bed this morning hee hee).

So here's to hoping you have some little rays of light in your day and you can grasp for the positives.

HAPPY EASTER

It turned out to be such a lovely weekend.

The kids and I both had a 3 day weekend which was very nice.

We had a good balance of getting things done around the house, spending time together as a family, enjoying the outdoors, hanging with friends, and having some down time.

We were able to have some friends over to color eggs.  We got a little artistic before and after coloring.

We also had a lot of fun making deviled eggs after the coloring was done.

The kids enjoyed hanging out
on wheels, bikes, motorcycles, scooters and roller blades

The kids have some interesting ways to pass the time.  We had some ice floating on the top of the pool cover - stuart adjusted the cover and gave some big pieces to the kids.  They spent the afternoon making ice sculptures with hammer and chisel - they are so funny.

I think I can certainly learn from them, how to have simple fun, be
creative and just enjoy the moments you have - aww sweet young minds.