My days

I had started a post which would have been long and wordy, and which I might come out with sometime soon...
But in the meantime I was spending a few quiet moments drinking ice water (I finally get what some people just love about ice cubes) and re-reading one of our books of "stories" by Brian Andreas and I came upon this, one of my favorites. And I realized that all of the words that I would have come up with would be trying to say what this says so simply.
So instead I took a picture to share.

I've loved our summer days, many start out as a blank box on the calendar (my very favorite kind of day) and they end up filled with lots of talks and questions and creativity and games and dancing and tickling and yummy food creations and sometimes crying and arguing and discipline and even more talks.... About the whys and hows and the future and how much God loves us and why do we need to be kind? and the choices we have and how even though I'm a mom and not a kid my days are filled with choices. And aren't they?!!!
I thank my God for TIME, for the uncluttered, simple days that I have with these boys.
I feel acutely aware of the preciousness of it.
Life has seasons and come September our days won't be quite this simple but I thank God for today.
And I thank Him for the truth that this joy I have in my heart today can be found even on the busy days.
"I have learned the secret of being content..." Philippians 4
But today I'm thankful for a not busy day....

Tilapia, good music and best buddies

I've often considered putting recipes up on my blog but never have. Mostly because my readers are few and I'm not sure there's anyone reading this looking for new ideas. BUT.... If you know me you know I love cooking and I love finding a keeper of a recipe so I will share. Plus we had this last night and I already wished today that I had leftovers. This one is so incredibly easy and so so yummy. Perfect for summer. I always serve it with rice, and think it's so delicious that I would happily eat a huge bowl of just the salsa and rice. Yummmm.

TILAPIA WITH CORN SALSA
4 tilapia fillets (6 oz each)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 Tbsp(I prefer more=) chopped red sweet pepper

Drizzle both sides of fillets with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Broil 4-6 inches from heat for 5-7 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Serve with fish.

On an unrelated note, I was struck all over again last night with an overwhelming love of / thankfulness for music. What it does for me deep in my soul is something I can't try to explain. As I cleaned up from dinner I put on one of my very favorite Pandora stations and wow did it make me happy. Great song after great song and I couldn't help but grab my littlest boy and twirl around and around.
To those of you who have music deep in your soul, you get it.
I am very thankful for music.

We spent the day yesterday with dear, dear friends whom we don't see nearly as often as we'd like but they still remain some of our best buddies. 5 years ago now Darla said to me "you need to meet Jack and Jill" and I said "really???", thinking that I had just moved home from Japan and declared that I really didn't need any new friends.
Foolish me and thank you Jesus!!
These years have passed and the two babies between us have turned into 8 (soon to be 9) and life is crazy but we've sure stuck together.
And our kids love each other and that's a joy to see.
I am very thankful for Jill.

this heart of mine

143)freckles
144)living in a small town
145)cooking with my kids
146)Amelia Bedelia books
147)after dinner walks on a breezy evening
148)all 3 boys busy enough while on a walk that I can hold their daddy's hand for just a minute
149)Jill, and her perspective on life
150)Cole singing to the sound of the vacuum every time I turn it on
151)unseasonably cool June days
153)California rolls
154)going to sleep asking for peace in my heart and waking up in the morning with a very peaceful heart

Happy days, happy boys

Lots of fun days filled with fun moments...
And here are just a few =)

Happy birthday

Today is my little sister's birthday. Last night I lay in bed in the middle of the night thinking of her and it turned into a little mental celebration of her and all the things that make her so great and so her.
I love people, so so much, but I'm not always the best and letting them know that. Or at least the how muches and the whys....
So here's to my sister Joanna...

- I love the way she turns everything into something fun. There's a never-ending supply of games in her head, and it turns out anything can be a game! Never a dull moment.
-she is loyal. Really really loyal. Don't mess with the people she loves. I'm blessed to be loved so absolutely by her. And if someone hurts me too bad, watch out... =)
- she smiles all the time. If you want proof then just look at her little girl, who has in one year learned from her mommy that there's always something to smile about.
- she's a fighter for what's right. I think she got it from our daddy
-she will give and give and give of herself, and I am often amazed by the growing list of people who are touched by her
-she can keep going, and do so productively, even when really tired (I can not)
-she shows up big time whenever there is a need
- she LOVES her husband, LOVES her little girl, and would always rather be with them. The 3 of them together are always very happy.

I could go on. Today I feel thankful for her, blessed by her, humbled by many of the ways that she loves.
I love you Jo.

The fruit of the spirit and basic hygiene

Not much challenges my patience more.... actually make that all of those wonderful fruits of the Spirit more... than being up when I should be/ want to be sleeping. Especially when it seems as though the "urgency" of the given situation is not so urgent.
We are in a rut in the Panter house of kids either getting out of bed or waking up to tell us something "really important"!! The following is a true, not exaggerated list of things said to Tom or me in the past week, usually between the hours of 12:30 am and 6:30 am, but occasionally during naptime or bedtime...
(And understand that there is a "no talking" rule, which explains many of the confessions)

-MOMMY!!!! I'm picking my nose!
-i picked my nose again and by mistake I ate it!
-I keep biting myself!
-I just went pee and sucked my finger and didn't wash my hand!
-is it ok if I don't talk but make clicking noises?!
-I just put a Lego in my mouth but then I took it out!
-i was just calling and calling for daddy and by mistake I woke up Justus but i put him back to sleep. But I really really need to tell daddy something, and it's this. that I just said two words: "not not"
-I just sang a song by mistake but now I'll stop
-I just need to tell you that one little dot of pee is on my pants but it's ok!
-mommy! By mistake im picking my nose again!
-I'm just coming down to tell you that if I wake up and talk by mistake I'll stop talking!
-i just wiped my bottom and then by mistake i sucked my finger!
-mommy! I almost said one word but then I stopped!
-I just need to tell you that i went potty and forgot to put my underwear and shorts back on but then I remembered!

Many of these have actually awoken me from a nice sleep, and going back to sleep while pregnant just isn't easy. Big sigh.

I share this because
1) it's funny. I'm going to look back and laugh, more than I have been laughing when I'm fighting to get what feels like well-deserved sleep.
2) I know that life isn't about me getting enough sleep, and it isn't even about me being happy. Even when I'm pregnant and even when I really do feel like I need it. I am still this morning struggling with kindness, patience and joy despite how I feel but I know there are bigger issues when it comes to mommying my kids than simply doing whatever it takes to get them to leave me alone during the hours that I deem "bedtime".
I so I wearily ask for the takeover of the fruit of the Spirit this morning, cause i know He is in me and therein lies my hope. And God, somehow, help me show YOU to my boys.
And to my boys.... Don't pick your nose, don't touch your bottom, and if you do, just WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!!

The little things

137) the way that Simeon and Justus jump up and down and up and down with excitement
138)being humbled, and being willing to accept it
139)free iced coffee day
140)sitting outside in the evening, watching the cars go by, baby on my lap
141)the accomplished feeling of a good yard sale find
142) singing to my boys while they sleep
143) a game of follow the leader

We've discovered that Cole has a love for animals that we've never seen in one of our boys until now... He truly shakes at the sight of one. We have been spending many free moments at the window, on the porch, wherever we can catch a glance of a squirrel or a bird, or maybe even a dog walking by. It is pure joy to watch his excitement, and to learn more of what makes him him...
The older boys are anxiously awaiting their camping trip with daddy next week. When asked what they want to do first, Simeon said "roast marshmallows" and Justy said "go for a hike". Simeon came back to me later to clarify, and he has made it known that really, his favorite part of camping is EVERYTHING.
My week has been extra busy and my soul feels a little bit restless tonight but I am aware of God tugging on my heart, telling me I can rest.
No need to be restless, even when I've messed up a bit or my attitude is somewhat yucky or I feel like I wasted time. I am not on the line, and I can live free.
Tonight I will stick with that...