KLR used to tell me this before I married JJ after he did something outright goofy or strange. You can imagine the tone. But she joked because she knew it was true: I am lucky. Cases in point:
1. I married into a family that values heritage and my MIL graciously put us up a few nights in the hotel so we could attend the family reunion.
2. After a long, tiring weekend we came home and the kids successfully avoided a nap due to dozing while in transit. So we’re cooking dinner and getting the house together and the kids are tired and hungry and we’re a notch above grumpy. And JJ still takes time to show H Boy proper wiffle ball form as we’re waiting for the food too cook. It wasn’t just the absence of frustration and shouting, but the extra mile of engagement with the kids that kept sanity levels to a functioning level.
3. Miss M fell in love with her first non-grandma figure, Aunt Mary. It was so endearing to watch her seek her out and request to sit with her and on her lap. She’s normally a cling-to-us-around-strangers gal, so it was wonderful to watch her hatch out of her shell. On another M note: she’s great with names. She also pointed out Uncle Gary to Aunt Helen and only saw the back of his head.
4. It never fails the kids are STARVING before dinner and begging snacks. And mine request frozen peas and tomatoes from the garden. They make it easy to say yes whenever possible.
5. For most of the world, tomorrow is Monday. But in this house, it’s just a day that JJ’s getting a few tasks done and I’m keeping the kids for some low-key play. God bless my employer for time off.