Dear Ones,

It is quite late...after 3 AM. I painted half a room before I ran out of paint, typed an email about a friend's baby shower, and have enjoyed the last hour and a half of quiet reading. Yes, I will be tired tomorrow (or rather today), and sweet Daddy is going to work at 6am returning Monday pm! But sometimes, I relish these times because it gives me time to think and to pray. Real time. Not five minutes squeezed in here and there.

I wish that in my reflections all I could think of were the wonderful things I did this week as a Mommy and a Wife. But I can't...I think of the times I was frustrated (whether inward or not!) and should not have been. I think of the times I dreamed of sitting in a quiet Starbucks sipping a latte and reading a book when I was surrounded by laundry, poopy diaper after poopy diaper (Tate, your time is near to get full-on potty trained!), and the at times seemingly insurmountable task of getting my house organized how I would like it to be. As much as Kent and I talk about how wonderful and fleeting this time is, and how we want to just freeze a three year old Ellis, a two year old Tate, and an eight month old GloryEvelyn, it can be easy in the chaotic times to wish for more "me time", quiet time, couple time, reading time, creating time, and to lengthen the time between clean shirts and dirty shirts. As much as I treasure this phase of life, I know I miss moments by wishing for quiet Starbucks times. And I don't want to miss any moments...

There is no doubt I will fail sometimes in various aspects of "good" Mommyhood and Wifehood, but I hope that each day when you go to sleep, and each day you awake, you feel and know how much I love your four sweet faces. With all my heart.

Ellis, I love that you asked for twenty kisses tonight before you went to bed. And that you sat on a basket and watched Mr. Juan whack at our nearly 100 year old shower tile for at least an hour and a half today, while he patiently answered all 10,000 of your curious repetitive questions.

Tate, I love that you tried to make GloryEvelyn stop crying in the car today by smiling at her and tickling her feet. I love that you gave me several kisses and hugs today without prompting. I love that you worked so hard on the matching puzzle and was so thrilled with your success.

GloryEvelyn, I loved the same things about you today that I love about you every day. You are enduringly sweet, infectiously happy, and unceasingly smiley.

And my Kent, how could I ever do this without you? I loved how you encouraged me today, how you affectionately tugged at my braids, how you happily went to run errands with the kids and I after seeing patients all night when you could have stayed home and napped, and how joyful you looked watching the kids play this afternoon. You are the most amazing person I have ever known.