"The one where I go on and on about squirrels"

There are a lot of perks that came along with our new home and our new neighborhood. A couple of the boy's favorite things are the "twin" squirrels, Alex and Eli. They believe that they are twin brothers and the squirrel's names are the same as their own. Not real original, I know, but really adorable, nonetheless. They do not come every single morning but they do visit several times a week.

When we first moved in we attempted to feed them bread or pieces of cracker. This, however, simply would not do. My sister Missy was over one day and said just throw them bread that is what ours eat. I showed her their response to bread. They walked up picked up said bread, sniffed it and threw it down. I'd watched them repeat this several times and was not surprised. These are some high maintenance squirrels.

One day when Jared was on his way home from work I called and said "we NEED a gallon of milk and nuts". He laughed a bit. I'm sure because, feeding the neighborhood squirrels had become such a priority. They were coming to the door regularly and begging. I hated to look at their "sad, little faces". So we got them some nuts, walnuts to be specific. They now LOVE us! No more looking down their noses at us because we had now pleased their rather particular palates. Oy.

Fast forward to this morning. The squirrels came and knocked. The boys began to feed them their walnuts and decided that they would sit down and have their breakfast with the squirrel on the other side of the door. It was adorable. They talked to one another, squirrel to child, and I got to listen. The squirrel brother came along and chased away the smaller squirrel so he could eat also. The chase escalated and the boys LOVED watching. And then Eli suggested that they simply "need to share".

Ahhhhh, some things do sink in. Yes, I went on and on about squirrels this morning but there are few things more precious than realizing a little bit of what you are attempting to teach your children gets through to them. NOW if I can get him to actually share and not just know that it is the right thing to do I will be thrilled!

As far as what's going on around here other than us communing with the squirrels we are bracing ourselves for a huge snow storm. We have been in the house A LOT due to various colds and such. I took Addison to the Dr. yesterday and said out loud to her in the car, "I am sure glad we got out Addie, Mama needed this." I had to laugh at myself. We went to the doctors and to get groceries. It felt like a spa day. Ok, not really, not at all. But it was a welcomed outing and I returned much happier.

I think that throughout seasons of motherhood you have to take what little solace you can get. Sometimes it's 15 minutes with a magazine (or on a really good day a book) and coffee on your couch. Jared and I currently have 3 children, 3 and under. We are quite often exhausted by the end of the day. But it is a season.

I was thinking the other day about grocery shopping and the fact that I can't even go to the store anymore, poor me, yada yada, and I heard a still, small voice (enter: the Holy Spirit) say "You will be able to in about a year, you'll have all day, 5 days a week to get errands done. Your house will be quieter, you hours a bit less demanding." Ugh, it hit me hard. You see the boys start school soon enough. I will just have Addie at home. I have NEVER just had one child at home, ever. I'll miss my boys. I'll miss their demands of my time. I quickly changed my thinking and decided to revert to enjoying their crazy, little, loud selves and wishing they'd stay 3 1/2 forever. Perspective is a beautiful thing. I need it on a regular basis.

I am RAMBLING! O.k. off to play with those crazy boys because Addison is napping. See what happens when I don't get out much. I write huge posts about squirrels.