I’m continually amazed at how time impacts my children.  It seems that once they hit the magic age of a few months after three, they start to blossom and become little people with logical opinions (Note: My children all had opinions when they were two days old but I hear many are not so well, opinionated.  Hence the usage of the word “logical” here) and thoughts that are actually somewhat indicative that they are starting to reside on planet earth.

Don’t get me wrong.  I absolutely love the magical time of playing pretend, the imaginary world my children pretty much live in 90% of their waking moments, the mystical characters and creatures they become within a day. I’m not really in a hurry to see that go but from time to time, I do enjoy having a conversation with them that isn’t about unicorns and puppies.  Or Buzz and Woody.  Or Bob the Builder.  You get my drift.

I was quite tired this morning and Super Husband got up with our children so I could sleep-in a little bit.  My friend, Kim, recently introduced our family to a tradition they have each weekend – chocolate chip pancakes.

My boys spent a morning at their home a while ago during said pancake-fest and they have since become completely hooked.  It’s our new tradition now as well.  By the way, while we all have Kim on the brain, please go and check out her blog at Keeping These Things. She is an incredible writer, dear friend, and new blogger.

JJ got downstairs and asked the chillens what they wanted for breakfast.  When Susannah told him they wanted chocolate chip pancakes, he must have worn a look of uncertainty because Susannah immediately then said, “It’s OK, Daddy.  If you don’t know how to make them, I’ll jut eat cereal.”

This melted my heart for so many reasons but mostly because it shows that my almost five and a half year old baby is starting to develop an understanding of the thoughts and emotions OF OTHER PEOPLE.  She has always been a sensitive child and very in-tune to others, but this was the first time in which I had heard of her making a sacrifice for something she wanted in the interest of showing someone she loves a little bit of grace.

For the record, we discovered today that JJ makes a mean chocolate chip pancake.  It most certainly rivals mine and the children thought so as well for when I emerged from my lair, Solomon was standing up on his chair and, with a chocolate-smeared face, was holding out his empty plate and loudly saying “Mo!”  which is his two year old way of telling us he wants “more”.

I continue to be blessed by so much, friends.  There is much I struggle with so please do not think I am a “perfect Christian”, a “perfect mom”, or a “perfect wife.”  I’m so not a “perfect” anything and I don’t strive to be.

I’m just so very much trying to look at what is so good instead of what is so not.  You know I place high importance upon being real and I value that so much but on Mondays, it’s just all about the good.

My list of 1,000 things continues…

41.  Grace seems to be no longer something we just talk about in our family – we are actually applying it.  And it’s so refreshing.  And yes I know we will all still need reminders from time to time but I love that my children are starting to understand the concept.

42.  My mother hosted a fantastic partay for my stepfather’s 60th birthday.  Hence why I was a little tired this morning…I was able to chat with my beloved fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Tribbett, and our old neighbors, Elaine and Ru-Ru (or Ron as most people call him).  It was such a blessing.

43.  I’m cutting down on carbs and can totally tell a difference on my energy level and I THINK my stomach might not be as puffy…I THINK.

44.  I am so blessed to be washed by the water every single day.

45.  Fresh-fruit smoothies

46.  Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Soy-Free Oats – and yes, they actually are tasty.

47.  And Almond Milk.  We are all in love with it at our house.  Who knew?

48.  Sawyer’s recent invention of a game called “Statue” – when he yells the word, I have to stop and freeze like a statue until he tells me to go back to “being mommy.”

49.  He then tells me he likes me better as mommy.  Heart-melter.

50.  Susannah has an intense fear of riding her bicycle.  We are trying to convince  her that she is safe while riding with us and today was a victory – only two meltdowns during our route but she did it.

May you have a chocolate-chip-pancake-kind-of-day but if cereal is all you can muster, go easy on yourself with a little bit of grace.  Some days the chocolate chip pancakes ARE too hard and that’s OK, too.