5 Thoughts from the Week
1. Do you laugh much? I’ve been telling you all about lessons I’m learning in the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Last night before I went to bed, she talked about laughter. Laughter does so much for the mind and spirit. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins (happy chemicals). Endorphins promote an overall sense of contentment and well-being. Children laugh up to 300 times a day while adults often laugh less than 20. That tells us something right there. So figure out what makes you laugh, and go for it!
2. My sister, brother-in-law and niece were in town last weekend for my sister’s big hometown baby shower. It was truly a beautiful day. My sis is pregnant with a baby girl, and I am so excited. I can’t wait to hold a baby again and kiss all over her sweet face. I really want to be called ‘Auntie Susanna’ or ‘Auntie Suz’. A lot of my close friends from high school and college call me ‘Suz’. I feel like it’s ‘name throwback’ time.
3. Our spring break is next week. It’s been a longtime coming. It seems like everywhere I turn, adults and children alike are exhausted from the daily grind and need a break. We’re headed to DC to see my sister and her family. The boys are so excited. We’ll do some touristy stuff but not a ton. Since we go up twice a year, sometimes it’s just nice to relax at my sister’s house and catch up instead of getting caught up in the crazy tourist stuff. One thing we are doing is going to Chinatown because we read a children’s biography about Bruce Lee with Brooks and he was intrigued with the Chinatown in San Francisco that was described in the book. He wants to go to a Chinatown, even if it’s not the same one from the book.
4. Case broke my heart this week. I hadn’t planned on going to his Easter party because I had to to work at the school where I work part-time and I also had planned on attending the big ‘Egg Drop’ event at Brooks’s school. Case had two parties (Wed. and Thurs.) so that the children who don’t go every day would get to have a party. I didn’t go on Wed. because I was at work and when I came home, this conversation happened:
Case: “Mommy, I have a secret to tell you.” (He beckoned me to come closer)
Me: “What is it, sweetie?” (I leaned in expecting to hear something totally silly and cute)
Case: “Some of my friends’ mommies were at my party today, but not my mommy.”(Whispering with sad eyes as big as saucers)
I didn’t think he was quite old enough to get upset when I wasn’t at his school for parties, but apparently he is. I rearranged my entire schedule so I could be at the Thursday party and when I walked in, he sad, “I knew you would be here!” So, so, so worth it.
5. More than ever these days, the quote, “The days are long but the years are short,” has been ringing through my head. Maybe it’s because my sister is pregnant, but I keep catching myself starting at Brooks bewildered by the fact that he is on his way to seven-years old. Those early days of his life are so vivid in my head and just seem like yesterday. Time really does fly, and I’m not so sure I like it.
My beautiful sister with a knitted hat one of my talented friends made for the baby.
Sunday was ‘Palm Sunday’ and everyone received a palm branch at church. At the end of the day, this is where I found one of them. One of the boys stuck it in my boot. For me, this picture summed up my day. Feeling blessed from it being Palm Sunday and from being with family but feeling tired from all of the weekend’s events. So ready to kick my shoes off and relax.
The kindergarten class at Brooks’s school had a big egg drop event where kids had to wrap an egg in a contraption. Then the teachers stood on the roof and dropped each student’s egg. Here is a picture of Brooks and his teacher assistant checking to see if his broke. It did not. Woo-hoo!!
My beautiful sweet boy at the Easter party that I attended. I will never forget his comment. His little face completely melts me.
The boys call Todd “Dada” and yesterday was his birthday. We celebrated as a family at Mellow Mushroom, one of our favorite places to go in downtown Asheville. Happy birthday, Dada!
So glad you were able to make his second party, and you are so right with that saying. It does fly by… the trick is somehow remembering that in the moment when I feel like there are a million other things I want to do. I hope you have a great spring break, ours already came and went, so now I am ready for summer! Thank you so much for linking up, sorry it took me so long to come comment.