Remember November

...Note to self, this month was a good one.
There is so much in life to soak up and be grateful for.
Here are some random things I need to remember about November 2010.

-Brian and I both like our jobs. A lot. It makes life soooooo much easier. We have both finally hit a good place in our careers and are in positions that make us happy, where we are appreciated, and enjoy our days.

-Kirsten is SO happy at our new school. She has sweet friends and a wonderful teacher. She made the Honor Roll this month (and only got 1 B! She's got her eye on Principal's List next ;)

-Danny has become soooo loving and sweet this month. He is constantly looking at someone and (very sincerely) saying "Mommy (or Mimi, or Matt, or Sissy Love, or whoever is around) I lobe you." (the /b/ sound in love makes it all the sweeter). It's so precious and I don't ever want him to stop.

-Matt thinks it's hilarious to tell me that Riley (his little girlfriend at school) is "his girl" (instead of Mommy). This always makes me scream and protest which makes him howl with laughter. (It's only cute and funny because I know it's not true... I feel for his future wife... I am NOT going to like it when I'm not really "his girl"!)

-I am a genius. Or an idiot. One or the other. This month I figured out how to get the boys to sleep through the night in their own beds. THE WHOLE NIGHT. In THEIR OWN BEDS. Yes they are 3 years old and should have learned this a long, long, long time ago. I'm not going to remember that part though ;) I'm just going to remember the part where I threw a bunch of crap in a Rubbermaid bin and called it "Mommy's Treasure Box" and explained it was only for big boys who sleep in their own beds. This immediately solved the problem. Genius (or idiotic for not figuring it out 487 sleepless nights ago...). Now every morning the boys choose their "treasure" and squeal with delight over breakfast. And every night we sleep. All of us. In our own beds. Heaven.

-The boys have both started talking about God a lot. I LOVE what they are learning at school. It just melts my heart. "God made me Mommy. Yup. God make everybody. That what Ms. Katrina say." "Jesus is God's son and I you son!" They are also practicing for the school Christmas pageant a lot. They are very excited and use a lot of volume to convey their excitement ;)

-Kirsten started asking hard questions this month. Really hard questions. This is parenting on the front lines. I pray that I'm handling everything right. I want to be honest and protect her innocence at the same time. Big time stuff. What I just LOVE about it though, is that (at least right now) she wants to talk to ME about all of this. She comes to me with questions and for long, involved conversations. She thinks about what we've talked about and then hits me with more questions when I'm least expecting it. It's good. (It's scary as heck... but it's really good.)

-The boys' language has just exploded. They pretend and negotiate. They use new vocabulary all the time. ("That a pretty wreath Mommy. You like wreaths. 'Member when Daddy and us buyed you sunflowers? They on that wreath! And they not dead like yours!") On a long walk last week a lady said, "Oh! Your boys are so cute. Are they twins?" Danny looked up, pointed straight at her, and said "ABSOLUTELY." SO funny.

-I have the biggest nephews that anyone has ever had. I think it's my "thing". I'm the girl with gigantic (sweet, cuddly, rolly-polly) nephews. I love to stick my face in both of their little fat rolls. While all of my children's ribs stick out, all of my nephews have rolls of chub on their forearms and unbelievable cankles. It brings me so much joy.

There is so much more. SO MUCH. And that's good. It's just so good... and I'm so grateful for our little life and my little family. I want to remember this November always.