November 3: I'm grateful for Steve's job.

Steve worked from home today.  I love that he has that option sometimes.  We try not to bug him while he's working and we succeed for the most part.  Steve working from home doesn't really mean extra hands, but it just feels different and nice to have his presence during the day. I do sometimes get to leave a sleeping Adam at home and take Li Ya on a short errand, which feels amazing.  So often I feel as though doing an errand means skipping all or part of one of his naps, which makes for a miserable day.

Mostly I'm grateful for the safety and security Steve's job provides.  I can't really imagine what it would be like not to feel safe and secure.  I guess that makes me unbelievably lucky.  I know that there are so many in this world who don't get to feel that way.

November 2: I'm grateful for Mi Na.

Back in September, I attended curriculum night at the elementary school.  After Mrs. Kissinger finished her presentation of the second grade curriculum.  I had four moms surround me and ask me if I was Mi Na's mom. They all asked for contact info so they could schedule play dates for Mi Na and their daughters.  I had never had anything like that happen before.  I was happy to know she had made friends and was well-liked.  

Second grade math, however, has been a struggle for her.  More specifically, Common Core second grade math has been a struggle.  Virginia is one of the few states that doesn't use Common Core.  Her performance on her most recent math test was poor.  

Our reaction to this has been to give her more practice at home.  She has willingly done the extra work and tells us that she wants to be really good at math.  Every night she prays that she can improve in math.  I asked her how she felt about doing Kumon after school and she was totally on board.   

Her willingness to learn and work hard will help her succeed at anything.  She amazes me every day.  I'm so grateful for Mi Na.  

November 1: I'm grateful for our little house in the big woods.

Steve got up early and got the kids off to school and I slept in.  I hate it when I do that.  When he left for work, Adam was still asleep so I did my workout for the day.  I got sleep and my workout and Steve got neither.  I need to do better.

I neglected cleaning my home through the ward fall festival planning and now that it's over, all I want to do is clean.  On Monday, I cleaned the master bedroom and bathroom.  This morning, Li Ya and I tidied the girls' room, tidied and vacuumed Adam's room, and folded and put away a lot of laundry.  I gave her the basket full of socks and she loved finding matches.  She is such a happy little friend to have around.  

Adam did not take good naps today. He probably only napped for one hour today.  Those are always hard days.  He has a voracious appetite these days.  When I put food on his tray, he grabs a fistful at a time and stuffs it in his mouth. It is entertaining to watch but hard to keep up.  

Adam is becoming more delightful every day.  It's easy to make Adam laugh and smile.  I was looking back on an old post about Li Ya when she was one and I said that she was my happiest baby. I think Adam might even be happier than she was.  Adam is turning one in four days and Li Ya is stressed that he can't walk yet.  I, however, am not stressed about it.  He will walk eventually. 

Mei Li, Stephen, and Mi Na all came home happy.  I'm always grateful for days like that.  Mei Li came home excited about her upcoming cell project for science.  She is planning on writing a song about cells with her ukulele.  She has really taken to the ukulele and practices every day for fun. Stephen loves orchestra, which doesn't surprise me.  It does surprise me that he would admit it.  For so many years, he denied loving playing the violin.  

It's the first day in November and I'm thinking about gratitude.  I'm still grieving over our move a little.  I have good days and bad.  It doesn't help that I don't enjoy this rental home.  I think that when we find a place to buy, we can really settle in and put down roots.  I love roots.  As much as it bothers me to live here, I'm so grateful for our little house in the big woods.

On our last housing trip out here, we started looking at rentals, realizing that our time was running out to buy a house before school started.  We saw this house in Wayne and asked to see it, but because it was still occupied, we weren't allowed to.  

On July 5, we moved our whole family here with no place to live so we moved into the downtown Philadelphia Marriott.  We went to see this home our first week.  We saw some other rentals too and decided to apply to rent a home in Bala Cynwyd.  It turns out that there were several applicants and the landlord wanted each to name their best price.  We walked away and decided to rent this home instead. 

The week before we moved in, three families wanted to rent this home sight unseen.  It was odd to me that this home should sit vacant for two months, but as soon as we signed the lease, there were so many others who all of a sudden wanted to rent it too.  The home was waiting for us.  Heavenly Father provided this home for us. 

Our little house in the big woods is a good temporary home while we search for our permanent home.  Adam and Stephen each have their own rooms and Mei Li, Mi Na, and Li Ya share the attic bedroom, which is quite large.  There is a room in the basement that houses the washer and dryer and Steve's home office desk.  It is tight, but a home office is crucial and somehow this little house still provided that.  There is a basement family room for toys, a spot for our family computer in the kitchen/dining area.  It has just enough space for everything we really need, and I know that Heavenly Father knew that about this house.  

Tuesday

I just spent the last half hour reading through old blog posts.  I'm kind of amazed at how much time I spent recording our days and I feel sad that I don't do that so much anymore.  I do it in different ways, like Instagram, but that's different.  I would like to resume my old wonderful habit.  

Steve is in the middle of tax season.  Last night, I suggested that instead of coming home early for Family Home Evening, we should meet him in Tyson's Corner and have family night there so he could get in a few more hours of work.  We ate dinner at Shake Shack and it was delicious as always, but also expensive.   I wonder if In N Out will ever come out east.  Let's hope.  

Steve got home late last night and even though I vowed to get to bed early, we spent the next couple of hours chatting.  It was close to 2 AM when we went to bed.  

I was late getting Mi Na to ballet this morning.  I lost track of time because I was talking to my sister, Ie Mei, on the phone.  She always has a great time in ballet.  The recital is at the end of June and she is counting down the days!  

Back at home, Mi Na and Li Ya watched a show together while I prepared lunch.  I put Li Ya down for a nap and then folded half of a mountain of laundry.  I found Mi Na watching "Barney: Let's Go to the Farm" while wearing our Dorothy dress up dress and a yellow pioneer bonnet.  I kissed her on the nose and chuckled silently.

Mei Li and Stephen came home from school and Stephen immediately started on his homework.  He had finished half of it on the bus.  Mei Li ate a snack and puttered around for a bit before getting on her ballet clothes.  Mei Li is getting more serious about dancing.   She takes a ballet class and a lyrical class.  Today was a ballet day.  I waited outside of ballet in the car with the other kids.  Li Ya and Mi Na watched on the iPad and Stephen played a football game on my phone.  I locked the car doors, reclined my seat, and took a nap.  It was glorious.  

After ballet, Mei Li did her homework and Stephen practiced his violin.  I made scrambled eggs and toast for dinner.  Bed time came and went somewhat unpleasantly.  Daylight savings is kind of killing me.  

After Stephen, Mi Na, and Li Ya were asleep, Mei Li and I talked about which ancestor she should talk about tomorrow at Activity Days.  I told her several stories and she kept wanting to hear more.  Unfortunately, I don't know more than a few stories!   I should probably rectify that.  She is really interested in my great grandmother's story.  We walked over to our ancestral wall so I could show her the picture of my great grandmother and then she asked about the people in the other pictures.  I told her about my Uncle Benny's tragic life and it made her sad.  She wished things had been different for him.  

When I talk to Mei Li, I am a little bit in awe of the young lady she is becoming.  I love how sincere and earnest she is in all that she does.  I don't take a bit of credit for it.  This is her own personality blossoming in a happy environment.  Steve and I can probably take some credit for the happy environment, but Mei Li was born with this beautiful spirit inside of her.

Steve is still working, and I still have half of a mountain of laundry to fold.  Good night.

Little things from Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday

Li Ya fell down today and started to cry.  Mi Na felt bad and offered Li Ya her Sleeping Beauty baby doll, which she previously denied her on the ride home from preschool.  I said to Li Ya, "Li Ya, that was so nice of Mi Na, can you give her a hug?"  Li Ya gave her a hug.  It was beautiful.

Stephen reported that he finished his Wednesday night homework on the bus ride to school.  Steve had sent him on the bus with all the materials he needed to complete his assignment.  I love his eagerness.

This afternoon, I complimented Mei Li on her outfit: a white and gray striped t-shirt, emerald green leggings with a dog print, and a hot pink knit twirly skirt.  In response, she twisted her legs back and forth so her skirt swished, and then she giggled a little.

Mei Li rushed through her piano practice so she could go play outside.   Her piano-playing profile included a large bird's nest on the back of her head, the result of two days of complete hair neglect.  I wonder if I am the only mother to let that happen regularly.  Sigh.

Thursday

This morning, I witnessed Li Ya feeding her pretzel sticks to Mi Na.  I love watching their relationship develop.

Around bed time, I walked into Stephen and Mi Na's room to find the older three kids playing something together.  Mi Na was wearing Mei Li's bright pink polka-dot pajamas, which are humongous on her.  She was jumping up and down and dancing in front of the window singing, "Welcome to our party!" in kind of a low husky voice.  Then she said, "Mom! Do you want to come to our girl party?  I mean, boy and girl party?"  Poor Stephen really gets roped into a lot of girl play.  He handles it well, and I think he'll make a terrific husband.

Charlotte's Web was the book of choice for Mei Li and Stephen tonight.  Gosh I love that book.  I read it slowly and with my best character voices, which aren't that great at all.  Mei Li rested her head on my shoulder while I read.  Stephen sat on the other side of me, leaning on my arm.  Heaven.

Lately...

I used to be such a dedicated blogger, and now look at me!  We had a great summer, visiting with family in the Outerbanks and in Utah.  All summer, as mosquitoes nibbled away at my children and me, I wondered how we could move west to be closer to family.  We haven't figured it out yet.

Mei Li did swim team this summer and she improved so much.  I'm so impressed with her willingness to try everything, even if it means struggling or failing in the beginning.  The results of this kind of attitude are impressive, and I'm trying to learn from her example.  I have lived my whole life doubting myself, which is just so unproductive!

Stephen did private swim lessons all summer and passed his swim test, swimming the length of the pool and treading water for thirty seconds.  His swim teacher, also named Stephen, taught him well and is just an all-around great guy.  I'm grateful Stephen could have such a good example in his life.

My kids really hated me this summer.  They had to do chores, math, and reading everyday before I would let them play outside with their friends or have screen time.  I plan to do it every summer, and I keep thinking that one day they'll thank me for it?  Who knows.  I sometimes wonder if I'm doing it all wrong.

Mei Li is in second grade, Stephen is in half-day kindergarten, and Mi Na goes to preschool two days a week.  Stephen had a bit of a rough start, but he is doing great now.  Each day, the kindergarten teacher gives one student in the class a gold star for behavior.  Stephen longed for that star and was sad each time he was overlooked.  Last Tuesday, he came off the bus with a huge smile on his face and the gold star in his hand.  He was so happy!  I love that kid.

Mei Li's teacher called me the first week of school to tell me how proud he was of her for making a good choice in class.  She was put out that she had to work with a certain boy and not with her friend.  After throwing a fit about it, her teacher asked her to leave the classroom and come back when she calmed down.  She decided to calm down quickly and work with the boy.  She and the boy became friends, and she thanked her teacher for allowing her to work with someone new.  I was proud of her.

Last week, Mi Na's preschool teacher, Mrs. W., told me how Mi Na refused to put her shoes back on after the foot painting activity.  She told Mi Na that she couldn't come listen to the story until she put on her shoes, but Mi Na still wouldn't listen.  The assistant teacher sat with her in the hallway where Mi Na just sobbed and sobbed.  After a while, she returned to the classroom, put on her shoes, and was great the rest of the time.  When Mi Na saw me, she hugged me and cried.  I told her teachers how she'd been getting up super early in the morning because she's in a big girl bed now.  She was probably over-tired.  Mrs. W., who looks and acts very much like a Disney princess, hugged Mi Na and said, "We all have hard days."  She said it with so much love that I almost cried too.  Later that day, I took the kids on a long drive so Mi Na could take a car nap.

Li Ya is proving to be the happiest little creature on earth.  She smiles so big all the time, I wonder if she'll burst open with joy.  That's how I feel about myself when I look at her.  She is such a joy to all of us.  She is crawling, cruising, making all kinds of messes, and I'm just delighted with all of it.  Last Thursday, as I was changing her diaper, I looked at her, pointed at me, and said, "Mama."  She responded, "Ma-ma-ma."   She's been babbling "Da-da-da" for a good month already, so it was quite exciting for me!

Things I don't want to forget

After I put Mi Na in bed, but just before I leave her room, she says, "I'm truly, truly thirsty."

While passing out flyers for the Loudoun County food drive last Thursday evening, we met an elderly woman named Ms. Ches.  Ms. Ches invited us into her house and then asked us for our names.  Mei Li said, "My name is Mei Li, but you can call me Mei."

On Monday, Mei Li went outside to play with her friends.  She ran back into the house telling me that she and her friends were going to sell things that they don't use anymore and give the money to charity or to people whose things are broken.  It was very cute and no doubt stemmed from our involvement in the Loudoun County food drive.

Stephen is a really great brother to his sisters.  He plays well with Mi Na and has scaled back on tormenting Mei Li.  He helps me unbuckle Li Ya, but I had to draw the line at that when I saw him try to carry Li Ya out of the minivan. (Yikes.)

Li Ya is just as pleasant as can be.  She recently learned how to roll from back to front, so she's rolling all over the place now.  After I feed her, we like to smile at each other and laugh.  Her cheeks are so squishy and kissable.