How well do you handle these three things?

Image from google.com

Monday seems to roll around awfully quick and here we are on a wet, windy September day and I have decided that I’d best write something uplifting or else you may think I’m sat here once again in tears on the brink of an emotional meltdown.   There are plenty of things that can get to me and I've shared about these in previous posts but I'm also coming to realise that it's not what happens to me but my attitude that determines my state of mind. I say life is far too important to be taken seriously.  I’m going to look for the beauty, blessings and funnies to see me through.  That’s my philosophy anyway and it seems to be working for I find myself in a happy state most of the time with just an occasional breakdown here and there.   

Often on Saturdays, the children go and spend the day with their Dad, but this weekend I had them all for the whole weekend and it certainly made for a much more contented couple of days.  I realised how much I normally miss them and thoroughly enjoyed having them home.  Sure it’s more work but then I also get to enjoy the little things like laughing hysterically with my 8 year old because the icing that we are putting on the cup cakes reminds us of detached fingers. Yuck!

 My twelve year old arrived home from cricket on Saturday night with a grin from ear to ear.  He had a great Under 13s match and had then been asked to stay on to play for the Under 15s.  He rose to the challenge so well that he was awarded ‘Player of the match.’ The look on his face was priceless as he was recounting the events of the evening to me. 

My eldest has recently embarked on her college courses and is full of youthful optimism and enthusiasm.  It’s pure joy to hear her talk of the dancing classes with such passion and hear her downloading The Nutcracker suite.  Also, she loves the evening English A-level classes and is feeling rather pleased with herself that she seems to know a little more than the mature students who are on the course with her.  What a blessing to be able to take delight in my children and their wonderfully different character traits. 

And so this brings me to my fourth child, yes, Trouble herself.  Isn’t it the way that just when you are feeling quite smug with yourself for having got your children progressing and settled that one of their teachers asks for a ‘quick word’?  I must remember when I go back to teaching that nothing drives more fear into the heart of a parent than hearing these words.  Apparently, she is unable to sit for long during teaching time, does not concentrate and is not interested in the stories.  After my initial gut reaction of racing home to once again read up on ADHD and the effects of fish oils on children’s concentration, (I’ve got these links earmarked in my Favourites on Google!) I have decided that seeing as she is only three and a half and that she can fully recount the entire morning’s happenings as well as the content of the book from story time; I won’t panic but will go down the whole route of making use of the Star Chart once again.  Amazing what the majority of kids will do for a sticker!  Her ‘racing into my arms as though we have been parted forever’ hugs when I collect her at lunch time, more than make up for her troublesome ways. 

I have much to be thankful for and so when I ask myself how do I measure up to the quote in the poster at the top of this post?  I can honestly say, when someone said to me the other day that Britain had experienced the wettest summer in over a hundred years, I replied, ‘Oh really, I didn’t notice. I didn’t think it was that bad.’ As for the tangled Christmas lights, I can assure you that last holiday season; my good friend sent me her tinsel as well as her daughter’s hair to untangle because it had got caught up in the wheels of a toy car.  As for lost luggage, well I freak out if I can’t find my slippers but surely having a 'handle' on two out of three isn't so bad is it?