January 3: 9:20 pm--miracles in all shapes and sizes

You have to be willing, I think, to see the miraculous in something as simplistic as your child drawing and creating a monorail from paper, or your little baby saying, "Hi Daddy--Daddy, I'm way back here" when he is only a foot from you during story time and is used to sitting snuggled up against you--(he just wanted me to know he felt a bit farther away, but he was thinking of me).

I breathed deeply today and made it last.

I tried all kinds of things to stretch the time and make it really last.

There were so many things to celebrate and we stayed in all day doing just that--it was really cool, and when I needed a minute to stretch or go to the bathroom, I told people and went and did what I needed to do. That, in and of itself, is a miracle because the old me would have kept on playing while my stomach kept on growling and it is important to make sure you are getting care as well in all of the fun.

My son got mad at me and said I was boring at one point because I would not let him set up a new, still-in-box train garden that we were packing away for next years' holiday, after almost seven hours of straight playing with him doing a zillion different things. I let it get to me and was sad and frustrated for a few minutes, but mommy tagged in and took over and it worked itself out and all was well. Those moments happen too don't they.

I watched the kids play and laugh.
Harmonized a song with my wife.
Ate delicious soup and drank powerful H2O.
Completed a few chores.
Built multiple blanket/cushion forts and watched invisible fireworks.
Created a version of Dutch Wonderland with my wife and took the kids there to play on all kinds of rides we made around the house.
Ate more soup (it was so good...I love the miracle of potatoes)
Played board games
Put eye drops in my son's eye--conjunctivitis
Read stories
Drew some really cool picutres and heard my kids tell us how much they love us while they made us cards proclaiming it

Took a glance at my little one's scar on his chest where he had his open heart surgery at 8 months..now there's a miracle.

So much to have been grateful for today and I'm just hoping I did the best job I could as daddy, husband, person...there is always more I guess, but this day, this moment--I tried to celebrate the miracles--there were just so many....I'm sure I missed a few.


Zen Daddy