Just Another Thursday

This morning, I woke up thinking about iced raspberry pastries.

Mmm hmm.
(Because, why isn't this a good thought?)

I lay there, thinking about it for a while, how I would make them.

Individual pastries, like a danish?

I carried these thoughts in with me to the bathroom as I wondered whether it would be better as raspberry swirl bread?

And then, back in my bed, I settled on making mini sweet rolls, of sorts.

Gonna have to try that.

When I couldn't go back to sleep (Claire woke me up before 6:00 to nurse), I eventually turned my lamp on and read for a luxurious 45 minutes or so.  Claire kept coming in from being with the older kids -- she'd climb up on the bed, snuggle in, bargain with me to nurse again, or just sit and lean against me.  At one point, I sat there and stopped reading to watch her and I stroked her hair and face.  She sat there, quiet, leaning into my hand.  

It was beautiful.

Eventually, she got Goodnight Moon and we read it through together, followed by We're Going on a Bear Hunt -- just the two of us, in my bed.

Decided it was time to get up.

We padded upstairs.  The light streams in through all the windows upstairs in the morning, and it's a glorious thing.

I walked outside, and cold air hit my nose.  Looked at the leaves in the morning sunlight.

I found the older three busy in imaginative play.

They'd built a castle with blocks, and Mia was playing with her figurines inside of it. 

Isaiah and Benj had built new lego deals -- and Benj was wielding a sword like a madman, how he often does.  

I walked through the house, opening curtains, and feeling happy from watching them.

I made breakfast and read scriptures to them while they ate (it's often what we do).  

When I came to the term harlot, a lengthy discussion ensued.

We have discussed sex, openly, before, but we had a pretty explicit, direct, and simple explanation about it this morning. 

(I believe in speaking honestly and openly about stuff like this -- no spoon feeding, here.)

My favorite was Benji's immediate response, which cracks me up.  

I hope it gives you a laugh, too.

"Wait.  You guys did THAT??!!!"

Isaiah's face was a mixture of disbelief, amusement, and somewhere along the lines of disturbing.  

Their responses kind of cracked me up, but we talked about how it is sacred and beautiful and not something we talk about lightly or with friends or in jest.

Then, as we continued on with our reading after that diversion, we came to the part in 1 Nephi 13 where it talks about the plain and precious truths being removed from the Bible and how the Gentiles stumbled because of it.  When I asked why they were stumbling, I loved Isaiah's simple response:

"Because the scriptures got all messed up."

We talked about the beautiful promise of latter-day records, how precious truth would come again to the earth, and how all these records would teach the same thing: the reality of a Savior and Redeemer of the world.  

So super cool.

And awesome.

And beautiful.

We read stories (a good Zen tale, philosophizing on how to live in the present and focus on those you are with, and a nursery rhyme book for Claire).  Claire suddenly loves to be read to, too, and it makes me super happy to have a chum on my lap again.

Journal writing began and we had music on -- Alison Krauss and Union Station playing "Bright Sunny South," and I strutted around like a chicken.

Isaiah buried his face in embarrassment of his ridiculous mother.

Mia laughed.

Claire loved it, standing by the fireplace and grinning ear to ear.

As for the rest of the day?

I've declared it a fast-from-social-media day today, and vowed I will not open up Facebook or Instagram on my phone.  Not once.  So far so good, and fingers crossed.

Going to finish up school with the kids.

Need to call a local nursing home to find out if there are folks that never get visited that the kids and I could go visit (as a follow-up to our FHE discussion this week).

Pay bills.

Take a shower.

(I'm smiling here, because just as I wrote this, I could hear my dad's response to that in my head.  Sometimes, if you'd say that, he'd reply in kind of a funny voice and say, "Yes, thank you."  And I'll respond, now, by saying, "Mmm hmm.  Thanks, Dad.  Sure appreciate your affirming that I smell of sleep.")

Put all the laundry away in my room and make my bed.

Have the kids follow suit -- fold their laundry and clean their rooms.

And I'm headed to dinner tonight at my childhood home.

Getting to know the folks who bought it is a pleasure.

It's just another Thursday.