#myheartylife | 12 – gratitude| success| beauty

Reflecting weekly on the beauty in every day moments, reasons to be thankful and celebrating small successes with the #myhearty life linky.

I’m grateful for ….
Toddlers wearing pants on their heads obviously!

This month I have been feeling particularly grateful for family.  My parents have been visiting every Tuesday afternoon since 6 year old Euan was one and I had returned to work 2 days a week.  We had a gap in childcare between George needing to leave for work and me returning home. I always appreciated Mum and Dad’s love of spending time with Euan and it’s been heartwarming to see their relationship deepen from having 1:1 time.  I was especially grateful for the pause Tuesday afternoons brought when I was pregnant with Luca and then when he was a newborn.  I’m still grateful for the weekly meal Mum brings with her and the pause it gives me to put the laundry out or dash around picking things up without being following by Luca or being ask lots of questions by Euan.  The boys love hanging out with their grandparents and with each visit I’m reminded of how lucky we are to have them nearby.  Last weekend it was my Dad’s birthday and I took Euan to the Kingfisher Treasure Seekers Hub in Gloucester to make him a present. It’s a fab craft shop where you can take part in a Make and Take workshop and create anything you like from the huge range of craft materials available.  Euan chose a wooden bird picture frame and made it beautifully unique with tons of PVA glue and shiny things.

I succeeded at …
Slowing down when all my instincts scream ”faster faster, more more”.  It’s not a regular occurrence so I’m taking the win when I can and hope it’ll serve as a reminder in future.  I’ve been feeling a bit frustrated of late that I can only be creative in the short time that Luca naps each day.  If my mind wanders in the daytime and I pick up a notebook to jot something down Luca pulls it from my hand and flings it on the floor!  If ever a child communicated by throwing things it’s Luca.  Sometimes if he’s sat on my lap facing me and I look away to say something to G he puts his hands on my cheeks and says ”this way” as he turns my face back towards him.   Determined not angry, forthright in his actions where he lacks language.   For a boy of few words it’s pretty powerful – his only other 2 word sentences are ”Mumma milk” and ”Dadda burp!”.   After a particularly vexing day last week I resolved to just be present when we returned from the school run; to do less, observe more and enjoy most .  And the irony of it was that by sitting alongside him and participating in his play only as an observer and cheerleader I was able to appreciate that there are moments during our time together when I can find pause and quiet thought without it unsettling Luca.  It reminded me of the value of Special Time where you top your child up before trying to get things done rather than zipping off to do it first impatiently calling over your shoulder ”I’ll be back in a minute, just hang on”.  I quietly reached for my camera and took some photos of Luca absorbed in car play.  I pondered what blog post they might tell the story of.   We played together, he played alone.  I photographed him and thought out this blog post.  Zero frustration,  two hearts brimful and two peaceful minds (well mine was, I suspect Luca’s was something like this ”car, car, brrrrmmm, bang, car”)

I found beauty in …
Nature and the industrious work of a pair of magpies who had spent a couple of weeks preparing their nest in a tree opposite the back of our house. From our bedroom window we had a perfect view straight into the tree and enjoyed their comings and goings and the fact that their presence kept the seagulls quiet.  On Sunday as the boys enjoyed the beautiful sunshine while playing in the yard they suddenly heard the buzz of a chain saw.  Luca ran in to me in the kitchen and Euan fearfully called out ”what is someone chopping down?’‘.  I went upstairs to look through the back window and saw two men cutting branches from the tree with the Magpie’s nest balanced within its branches.  I hoped it was just a bit of sprint time pruning.  It wasn’t.  Half an hour later they had chopped all of the branches off and spent the next couple of hours burning the wood.  The next day at breakfast time Euan spotted one of magpies up on the rooftops and looked sad as he remarked ”the magpie is up there Mum looking for his home but it’s gone hasn’t it”.  We all felt really sad for the magpies and hope they find another tree to build a new nest in before they are ready to lay their eggs in April.  It’s hard having to explain to a kind hearted child that the beauty we appreciate is not always appreciated by others and can be destroyed so suddenly.  I was reminded of gentle parent L R Knosts perceptive quote  “It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”  We hadn’t taken any pictures of the Magpies so here’s a photo of the boys drawing in the back yard on that lovely sunny afternoon before the chain saw shattered their peace!  I see such beauty in watching a child absorbed by their own creativity.

Thank you for reading.
My previous #myheartylife reflections can be found here.  I’d love to hear what you’re finding beauty in, feeling grateful for and celebrating success with in the comments.

I’m linking this post to the supportive and positive blogging community that is #BestBootForward hosted by Kate on Thin Ice and Indigo Wilderness. It’s a weekly linkup for sharing positive celebrations of life, successes through challenge or simply spreading a little cheer.