{SQT} Practicing Gratitude

This Negative Nellie could particularly stand to practice gratitude, so that's what I chose to do this week.

I am grateful for . . . 

1. Saturday

1. Anti-emetics
2. Saturday morning family housecleaning
3. A husband who backs me up on discipline
4. Calzones night, even if it is labor-intensive
5. My son's good performance playing ten memorized songs at his piano recital
6. My daughter's cheerful attitude even though she could not participate in the recital due to her fractured wrist
7. Tums

The order sheet for calzone night

2. Sunday

1. Anti-emetics
2. Sunday morning fancy breakfasts with family
3. Access to a regular Latin Mass
4. The Church's understanding that the obligation to attend Mass is met even by a mother who never gets to step foot inside the church that day because her 21-month-old wouldn't stop screaming for an hour and a half
5. The ladies who came outside and saw me fighting back tears, so offered to walk my screaming toddler around just so that I could have a mental health break, even though nothing was going to calm down that kiddo
6. Lunch out with friends and a husband who offered to eat alone in the van with the two napping little ones so I could have some adult fellowship
7. Tums

3. Monday

1. Anti-emetics
2. Really good parenting advice (that worked!) from a mother of ten
3. The delightful discovery that, when sent to practice piano only with her left hand, determined Mary can play decently with both hands
4. The same delightful discovery concerning violin
5. Learning after a health scare and two weeks of close monitoring that I am most decidedly NOT hypertensive requiring medication, but simply have white coat hypertension when this home-birth-mama-at-heart has to go into the medical office
6. My son being energized, excited, and attentive to a talk he attended on the first three commandments given by a traditionalist priest
7. Tums

4. Tuesday

1. Anti-emetics
2. Piano lessons that are in my home instead of at a studio
3. Mary's cheerfully resigned attitude that she could not participate in her fun PE class due to her fractured wrist (and how she walked a mile instead)
4. My getting to rest in the gorgeous weather on the grass during PE class . . .
5. . . . because Chris was babysitting our toddler at home (or I would have had to chase him the whole time)
6. Chris helping me cook dinner and taking the children on an evening walk (without me) because I couldn't stay on my feet any longer
7. Tums

Mama resting in the shade
while watching the older kids' PE class on the left and the younger kids' PE class on the right

5. Wednesday

1. Anti-emetics
2. The degree of excitement from my 21-month-old on receiving his new straw cups, after the last of our sippy cups died a slow death
3. De-cluttering and organizing our kids' plastics drawer
4. Submitting the application for John's first summer camp (and with Chris as chaperone)!
5. Organizing a successful May crowning and ice cream social at our parish
6. The fact that I think this event (the May crowning) is my last volunteer commitment until after the baby is born, so I probably won't host an event until November's annual praying for souls at a cemetery and eating soul cakes
7.  Tums

The drawer looked like this for five seconds, until kids got a hold of it

The May crown made by the florist

1. Pray the Memorare.

2. Process in with flowers while singing Immaculate Mary.

3. Crown a Marian statue.

4. Pray one decade of the Rosary.

5. Recess while singing Hail, Holy Queen.

6. Have an ice cream social.

6. Thursday

1. Anti-emetics
2. Being able to order just about anything on Amazon Prime, including spoons upon my discovering that the mysterious disappearance of only our spoons continues until I woke up and there were only 7 spoons left in the house (down from about 40)
3. The flexibility of homeschooling
4. Our delightful field trip to Stowe Dairy Farm: click here to read more
5. My husband buying me a new baby gate for the top of the stairs because this round, pregnant mama is now too slow to catch the 21-month-old who runs downstairs to escape me half a dozen times during bedtime routine, causing me to do a whole lot of up-and-down walking
6. A friend who graciously does not mind cancellations when I am too tuckered out
7. Tums

Stowe Dairy Farm

Only 7 spoons left in the house

7. Friday

1. Anti-emetics
2. The smile on my Kindergartner's face when she finished her math book
3. Delicious goat cheese
4. A holy friend who gives me good guidance and redirection
5. Sending my two oldest off to their first musical rehearsal
6. . . . with my husband who was taking my parent volunteer shift as Rehearsal Monitor so I could stay off my feet this afternoon
7. Tums

Finished Level A

Littles during school time

John and Mary heading to their first musical rehearsal

For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.