2 Corinthians 12:9

Tonight I am "Cool Mom". We extended our weekend with the younger three children until tomorrow afternoon. So, while Scott was catching some sleep, we got showers and baths out of the way, and played one of our "family favorite" board games -- "Sorry". When it was time, we saw Daddy off , grabbed some DVD's and blankets, and ignored bedtime's most basic rule -- lights out at 11.

A couple of weeks ago we began our vacation with dinner at a local restaurant. (We dine out pretty infrequently, so this was sort of a celebration/ precursor to a week of "down time" with some of our favorite people) Our waitress was wonderful, anticipating and responding to our every need. We were joking and enjoying some small talk with her when she gave us the kindest, most gracious compliment any family could possibly receive. She told us that families like ours were rare -- we were so "in sync" and "in love". She was so generous, but I have to admit, so correct. Honestly, I am not boasting, I am always amazed at how well our family works. Apparently, it shows.

I could attribute this to an "old fashioned", Ozzie and Harriet style of parenting...

I could go on and on about the wonderful relationship that Scott and I have, the loving example we set for our children...

I could talk about the importance I place on faith and a commitment to Jesus Christ, or the admiration I have for a man who leads his family the way Scott does...

The truth is, we do work hard, we definitely love each other, but WE ARE BLESSED. There is no way around it. God has lavished His love upon us over and over again -- starting with giving us each other. Scott and I made a lot of mistakes, waited a long time, and had almost given up hope before our "fairytale" marriage came to be. And our children are just blessings, no doubt. I have seen great parents suffer a lot of heartache at the hands of a child gone astray; likewise, I have seen some pretty irresponsible parents raise great kids. It's not a "crap shoot", but it's not an exact science either. And, I won't even pretend that our family is a blessing we "deserve." God has blessed us, and for that I can offer no other explanation but grace. I am, however, absolutely breathless with humility and thanksgiving.

My family is the group with whom I most like to spend my time. I look forward to seeing each one of them, and I can't wait until the next time we are all together. There is laughter and smiles and such goofiness, there are no words to describe the way my heart fills with happiness. And, we are loud! Someone is always talking; most times, everyone is talking! We sing along to the radio together, and play silly road games like "Punch Buggy". You might think six people in a vehicle for more than fifteen minutes, would be grounds for mental health evaluations. We love it! It's noisy, chaotic, and raucous in unabandoned joy! The occasional fight does occur, but is quickly diffused and rarely requires much more than a stern warning. Most of the time everyone obeys the rules and takes care of their responsibilities. No matter what we do, we all seem to have the same goal in mind -- fun as a family. Scott and I couldn't ask for more than that, and we certainly can't take much credit -- we've been together as a family for less than three years. Praise God, that's blessing!
So, that is why I decided to steal some extra time with my favorite people, and get a little crazy breaking some rules. In a little while, it will be back to the old grind and we will again be apart. Having said that, excuse me while I go enjoy God's blessings...