The girl and her dragonfly too

The other night the kids came rushing into the house begging me to come outside and see the barrage of dragonflies that was invading our yard.  There were hundreds of big blue bugs dive bombing the kids in graceful arcs.  Aubrey decided she wanted to catch one.  She was very determined and very patient and eventually she was successful.

 Why is it that some of the very best moments in life are often of very little value to anyone watching from the outside.  There is something so beautiful about children being happy just because there are insects and sunshine and air.  These perfect little snippets of time make all the whining and grumbling and fighting worth it because they remind me why I love being a mom, why I love spending day after day with these adorable people who are growing up way to fast if you ask me.  I'm grateful that these tiny pockets of peaceful perfection show up so often in life.

 Since the four oldest kids started school the end of July, Logan and Ellie and I have had the chance to pal around together.  We take walks and visit parks and just goof around at home a lot.  They would have me push them on our backyard swings all day if I had the arm strength (I have definitely beefed up my arm strength in the last three weeks).  It has been nice to able to have more one on one time with my two littlest sprites.  They are a lot of fun.

I also have to take just a moment to brag about my husband.  He started back to school last week (he teaches high school psychology/financial literacy).  He is also an assistant soccer coach for the high school so he spends several hours every day at practice and other hours arranging games and buses and doing paperwork for eligibility etc.  He is also still working his part time job and this next week he is starting a master's degree program through the University of Phoenix. 

He has a lot on his plate.  He comes home exhausted, and yet he ALWAYS takes time when he first gets home to make his kids feel special.  Often he wrestles with them which is their very favorite activity (except Bryce who is way too mature to wrestle with his dad, he prefers to cheer from the side lines).  He is the best dad, and I am grateful every day that I nabbed him.  Neither of us is perfect, but we are awfully happy together.

(This picture has nothing to do with anything, I just happen to love it!  Silly Aubs.)