...When Your Kids Teach You How to Hunt for Treasure

Yesterday we enjoyed a very blessed and joyful Easter!  In the afternoon, Miriam told me, "Easter is the best day ever!"  Then, at the day's end, I asked the kids what their favorite part was.  I'm pretty sure Noah said, "Jello jigglers!" though I can't quite remember.  Miri replied, "The treasure hunt!"  In her world of maps, action, and pirates, she did not go on an Easter egg hunt but, rather, a treasure hunt.

Tot and kids decorating eggs
4.19.14

By ten o'clock this morning, I had picked up every single piece of our Tupperware that was strewn across the floor.  Then, I found myself staring at the Easter grass scattered everywhere.  The kids had decided to go swimming in it, then digging in it, then using it (along with the Tupperware) to make me "delicious" ice cream, soup, and salad.  This bending-down-business at 38 weeks pregnant gets old fast, and I just couldn't find the energy to pick up a single piece of the Easter grass.  Solution?  I texted my husband and warned him what he'll find when he comes home... and told him he'd be cleaning it up.  Ha!  I'm lucky he's so loving.



Then I decided I needed to go on my own treasure hunt.

The joy in finding treasures from the Easter Bunny!

 Recently, in my daily Bible reading*, I came across this piece of wisdom from St. John of Avila: "One act of thanksgiving to God when things are going wrong is worth a thousand thanks when things are going the way they want them to go."  I must have read this a dozen times.  Lately, I've felt as though everything has been going wrong.  And the anger builds up.  And I yell at my kids.  And I roll my eyes at my husband.  Even my cousin, texted me saying, "Everything you say begins with 'ugh.'"  Ugh.  It was too true.  St. John of Avila was guiding me, and I wanted to follow his direction.

My oldest and youngest treasures

So, the next time both kids were throwing ridiculous tantrums, I shut each of us in our own rooms.  I let the prayer, "Thank you, God, for this moment of chaos," combat my anger.  I heard an Echo in my prayer: "...because I really am thankful for my kids, who just happen to be creating this chaos."  Then, when I was hit with some bad pregnancy-induced pain and had to go to yet one more appointment, I found myself saying, "Thank you, God, for this pain."  This time the Echo called, "...because I really am thankful for my good health and the health of the baby in spite of it all."


These are baby steps in my progress toward gratitude, faith, trust, and optimism.  Easter Sunday was a powerful reminder for me to look for my daily treasures.  During the kids' Easter egg hunt yesterday, Noah "seized" all his treasure, by trying to stuff everything in his mouth before moving onto the next piece.  Miriam, on the other hand, was very discerning with her treasure, politely indicating that, "This one can be for Noah or Nathan," if it wasn't quite to her liking or not her preferred color choice of egg.

Miriam hunting; Noah eating

Next time, when my kids hand me a sword and tell me to be Captain Hook, I hope to look for a true treasure, instead of waiting for the role-playing to end.  I think my beginner's step will be to follow Miriam's discerning nature.  Maybe one day, though, I'll be good enough to imitate Noah and seize all the treasures He bestows upon me.





*If anyone is looking for a Bible plan, I highly recommend this one: My Daily Catholic Bible
I started about 13 months ago, and am almost halfway through.  Clearly, my progress is slow, but it's still been so worth it.

Easter Mass; 4.20.14

The real treasure in this blog?  I do not need to send pictures to anyone who requested them for Easter.  (JA, I'm talking about you!)

...When Every Day is Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is March 14th.  You may recall this day to be "Pi Day," and if you're still a student, you're especially excited to gorge on pie in math class tomorrow.  For me, however, tomorrow is the one-month anniversary of Valentine's Day.



February 2014

Now, before you think this is going to progress all lovey-dovey, let me briefly tell of some of the affectionate happenings in our household today.  Don't worry, I'll leave out all the common hitting/pushing/kicking incidents.

First Instance
Noah begins crying in pain.  I run over.  "Miri, what did you do to Noah?"  She responds, "I forked him."  Thankfully, the stab wound on his bare back was only minor.

Second Instance
Noah points at my stomach and says, "Big belly," with a big grin.  Then promptly leans over and bites it. 

Third Instance
At bedtime, we prepare the kids' toothbrushes with toothpaste, then they independently brush their teeth and, finally, we do a final thorough brushing.  As Nick was brushing Noah's teeth, he notices that he is, in fact, brushing his teeth with soap.  I shoot Miri a glare, to which she confesses, "Yes, I did put soap on Noah's toothbrush."  Oh, and please picture her saying this with a huge smile, almost as though she's fighting back giggles.

So, why does every day feel like Valentine's Day?  Because Miriam has been entirely obsessed with Valentine's Day ever since February 14th.  Every day, she gleefully approaches me with a "Happy Valentine's Day, Mom!" and hands me a "Valentine."  Today I got a Payless shoe ad.  She explained to me how my Valentine was special because it had lots of shoes.  Yesterday I got a toy or two that she pulled out of a purse.  Often, I get scribbles and drawings and "letters" that she reads to me.  And Mr. Copy-Cat is always just one step behind, holding up a random object to me saying, "Valentines!  Valentines!" 

My kids have been delivering these sweet Valentines to me nearly every day for a month, usually while I am preoccupied with a chore, annoyed with misbehavior, or exhausted with life.  It's been awesome to have that big love delivered by such little hands in a very real way every day.  What an image of the way God must be holding up Valentines to us in every moment of frustration.

Family Day at the Aquarium
March 2014

 P.S.  A daily Valentine from Husband would be quite the mood changer, too, wouldn't it?  (Hint, hint)

P.P.S.  Tomorrow isn't the 14th, is it?  Oops, one day off.  Time for bed.