21 graces

1. Another 4-day weekend for Chet (the second one in a row!)
2. Taking a day trip to New Orleans
3. The girls enjoying the aquarium
4. A fun, water-themed birthday party
5. Finding two practically brand new rash guards (I like to call them "swim shirts") for each of the girls at the resale shop for $3 apiece

6. Evening family walks to the park
7. Krispy Kreme after church
8. A late afternoon trip to the mall to run off some energy in the air conditioning
9. Raising Cain's for dinner
10. Starting the week off right with a morning trip to the community pool with our neighbor (2 adults+4 kids...ages 3, 20 months, 15 months, and 15 months...it was a bold move for us)
11. Post-pool appetites and naps
12. Running into and chatting with several neighbors during an early evening trip to the park
13. Sydney playing with a neighbor while Lorelei and I take a much-needed trip to the Commissary (she is currently what I like to refer to as my "shaggy child")

Tell me she doesn't look like a 19-year old surfer boy.

14. Adding recommended books to my always-growing "to read" list
15. An evening pool party

16. Another successful morning trip to the community pool (!!!)
17. Compliments from a friend
18. Having friends who are in the middle of a move over for dinner (I'm sure you all know/can imagine how eating out/eating fast food gets incredibly old when you're moving)
19. Mall food court Chinese food
20. Pedicures
21. One last impromptu get-together with friend (from #18) before she leaves for San Diego

I know the "21 graces" posts focus on the blessings in our lives, but please don't be fooled that my family's life is always super fun and carefree.  I know it may seem like all we do is go to the park, eat frozen yogurt, and play with our lovely neighbors (and we DO have the privilege of doing all of those things often), but the truth also is that military life is hard.  We have to take advantage of every second of our time together between deployments (Chet is scheduled to deploy this summer), and sometimes our husbands work so late, that the only way we'll survive the day is by getting the kids out of the house, taking them to the park, and seeking out adults to talk to along the way so that we don't go crazy.  I am confident that we are right where we're supposed to be, but that doesn't mean it's always easy, or fun, or ideal, and I am thankful that Jordy came up with this series to help us focus on the blessings that are all around us.