Sunshine On My Shoulder Makes Me Happy

The sun is shining today
and it's just that kind of
sunshine that warms
you up inside and out.
I have just felt like doing
the dance of joy
most of this day.
I know it's still winter
and it's still cold out
(just ask the people a few
hours north of here
who are literally
covered up in snow!),
but how lovely it is to see beautiful
sunshine pouring through the windows
and to know that spring is on its way.
Oh, I can wait.
The arrival of spring is such a gift from the Lord.
I love to see the new life and blossoming growth of His creation.


Another ray of sunshine
in my day was our
lovely Mr. Popsicle coming
over today to get the
big kids and take
them to lunch at
McDonalds. And of course
that's not all he did
---he always does so much!
He brought me my
lunch too and then when
they returned, he had
brought me a frappe. Yum!

(I told you about these, didn't I?
If you love frappacinos at Starbucks,
you need to try McDonalds frappe.
They are just as good, if not better,
and about half the price.
I can't really justify going
to Starbucks anymore....)

The kids had a lovely time
and I had a nice time at home
in peace and quiet,
just me and Baby J.

I always think of a million things I am going to get done when I have opportunities like this. I mean, an hour or two seems like a long time without your three extra pairs of hands to tend to. But in that time, I had to eat my lunch and feed Baby J and deal with him.....But I did manage to get some laundry done and finally put away the Christmas CDs (I counted them---I have sixty. Hello, my name is Bell and I am addicted to Christmas music.) and took the big Christmas picture down from above the fireplace. I think I have been watching too much HGTV while nursing the baby because I just want to do so many things to this house! We haven't done anything to the interior (decoratively) in a long, long time. Many things didn't get done when we moved in or just had a "this'll do for now" something thrown at them. And now I'm just wanting to make things look more attractive and be more functional. I'm kind of getting into getting rid of stuff. At least thinking about it. I even had time while the kids were gone to go into the dreaded dining room and start throwing away some of the kids' junk and picking up and organizing some of the school mess that seems to explode in there on a regular basis. So I am working on stuff, people.
"I'm doing the work! I'm baby-stepping!"

So a big fat hug goes out to Mr. Popsicle today
for giving the kids a day out
--and me a couple of hours of reprieve.
They are all bubbly and excited now that they
are home. I thought we'd get a chapter of History
and some map work done this afternoon.
Don't know if that's going to happen or not.

I hope the sun is shining on you today, Dear Reader.
And I hope that it feels just as invigorating
and inspiring to you as it does to me.