An {almost} Perfect Day

Today was an {almost} perfect day.

Wanna know why?


4.5% good messy hair bun
11% fun activities
20.5% just us three
23% great weather
41% my chosen attitude

It also helped that Joshua slept til 7:21am, and I only remember having to get up twice in the night to relieve my poor squished bladder.

Isn't it incredible how much my attitude affects my day! I honestly, physically felt the difference this morning in the mood of the home. When Erik (who gets up after me) got up from bed, I CHOSE not to be crabby at him and bitter about his extra sleep. I CHOSE to embrace being a mother--the one who generally wipes up/cleans up/picks up (though Erik has done a lot of that lately ... :) ) I CHOSE to recognize that I was choosing to be on my feet a lot, and do a lot of stuff. I CHOSE to take moments to interact with Josh, but I also CHOSE to not be guilty about letting him play alone, which he was once again doing well--hence an {almost} perfect day.

My husband and I conversed. We parented. We explored {again} the zoo with our adorable son. We ate. We relaxed. We sorted through stuff in the garage (one of my favorite parts of the day...). He ran errands while I rested my feet. I baked communion bread while he watched football. We ate Chinese food for dinner. We watched "You've Got Mail" and munched on popcorn and M&Ms.

Joshua and I colored. We blew bubbles. We shared a pretzel and took photos in a photo booth. We raked the dirt in the yard. We rode the carousel. We fed some ducks. We laid on a froggy blanket and read a book. We made music--he on the drum, and me on the egg shaker. We rang the doorbell. We sang monkey and rhino songs. We did bathtime.

I disciplined. I baked. I boiled pump parts and bottles. I packed my hospital bag. I chatted with my neighbor. I interpreted two-year-old language and calmed a frustrated little boy. Twice today I kissed scraped hands and brushed off dirty knees.

And in all this, I CHOSE. I CHOSE to recognize that a large part of my role as a wife is to do tasks--often mundane ones--that keep this house functioning. I CHOSE to accept that the dirty truth of parenting is that I have to be consistent in my discipline. I CHOSE to laugh with my husband and enjoy my time with him. I CHOSE to think good thoughts about my still unclean house, instead of discouraged ones. I CHOSE to sit down, with my laptop, with my feet up while there are still many messes in this house.

So much of ANY day is about CHOICE. So much of being a mom--and enjoying it--is about CHOICE.

I chose this life, I chose this role, I chose all of this--and when I get over myself and CHOOSE to enjoy it, it is truly wonderful.

Granted, today, due to the amazing weather, good hair day, fun activities and good company it was quite EASY to choose ... I'm still proud of myself for doing so. Many an {almost} perfect day has been not quite {almost} so perfect because my attitude has tainted it.

So what would have made it perfect you ask? If it had been just a tiny bit warmer when we were at the beach ... I wanted to build sand castles and get in the water! And of course, if I went into labor right now....well, then this might just be a {completely} perfect day. :)