Gratitude Friday...

First, we need to get this out of the way.

I see the dress as white and gold.

(I would post a link but the only person who might not have seen it is my mom and she has confessed she doesn't go to the links I post.  So if by chance you don't know, google "blue and black dress."  Then be prepared to waste the next 9 hours on the topic.)

Now, could someone tell me what that says about how my brain works?  I've been taking a mental poll of all the comments from the 52 people who shared it and so far, I've got nothing.  I was thinking maybe more creative folks saw white and gold and more analytical people saw black and blue but no.  I can't really tell a difference.

Maybe blue eyed people see white and gold.  

Regardless, it's better than fighting over vaccines and who controls the Internet. 

Second, Rhys' eyes seem to be about the same today.  No major goop.  Just red.  The first one looks almost normal.  The second one looks like the first one did yesterday.  Thus so far, it seems to be clearing up on it's own.  

Making the doctor right.  

And my degree from WebMD, once again, useless.

Third, it is snowing so beautifully outside today.  Supposed to snow most of the day but only give us 1-2 inches.  I LOVE snow.  Largely because the bright white on the roof of our next door neighbor's house makes our house so bright and cheery.  

Y'all, I'm not kidding when I say our houses are about 6 feet apart.  

I see that roof ALL THE TIME.  I almost wish they'd install an aluminum roof just to reflect the sun into our living space.  Chances aren't good for that happening but a girl can dream.

The kids might be willing to get bundled up to play in the snow.  We'll see.  Last year, they lasted about four minutes.

And forth, because I like even numbers, today is Rodeo Day at school.  All the other Texans wore their jeans, boots, bandannas and cowboy hats.  

We wore our green floral dress, pink leggings, sparkly shoes and brown bow.  I talked her into the brown bow because I DO WHAT I CAN to follow the rules.

I mean, brown bow clearly equals cowgirl hat.  

Often when Chris or I talk about going "home," Aubrey Kate will correct us.

"I'm from Texas, Momma.  Not Alabama.  Texas is my home."

But apparently she draws the line as a Texan at wearing denim, boots, a bandanna and a hat.  That's just too far.  

Reminding her momma frequently she's a native Texan is cool.  Just not the whole dressing the part thing.

Now you may consider yourself caught up on our little life.  Terribly exciting, isn't it?

Today I am grateful for a parenting break-through last night.

Hang on for the ride.

Since Rhys has pink eye and viral at that, meaning we can't take anything to get rid of the dagum stuff, I've done my best to keep the two kids apart.  

And by "best," I mean, we've been watching movies.  

Rhys doesn't watch them but AK does and I'LL TAKE IT.

While she hibernates on the couch, Rhys marches around with his "sword" (his toy broom) and looks for bad guys to fight.  Sometimes he finds one to fight but most of the time, he just swats at the floor.  You know, because bad guys are closer to the ground.

I guess.

But last night, I decided to throw caution to the wind and let them play.  One more movie and AK's eye balls were gonna freeze open.  

They opted to play in her room.  The rule after dinner and before baths, which is about 30 minutes, is they play in the playroom or their rooms but not in the living room/kitchen.  Usually, I take that time to clean up the kitchen, get the living room picked up and ready both rooms for the next day.  

Last night though, it was pizza night so that took almost zero time to get cleaned up.  I sat down on the couch and listened to them playing in Aubrey Kate's room.  They were preparing a "feast" with their play food.  I heard it getting heated and then AK said this...

"NO RHYS!!!  THE FEAST GOES UP HERE!!!  NOT ON THE FLOOR!!!"

So I called her into the living room to talk.  I told her Rhys was allowed to play feast his way too.  I often remind her he's his own person with his own thoughts and ideas.  And it's okay to let his imagination take the lead sometimes.

She then began what I can only describe as a rant.  She wasn't yelling or crying.  Just talking.  On and on and on about how Rhys does it all wrong all the time.  And why can't he just do what she tells him to do?  And a feast goes on a plate not the floor?  And she's just never gonna talk to him again?  For as long as she lives.

I let her go.

My only interruption was to give her a hug and say, "Oh, Aubrey Kate.  I wish I could release you from this need to be right all the time and in charge all the time.  It's too much to take on, baby girl."

Then she continued her rant.

All together, it probably lasted five minutes or so but it felt like sweet forever.

She made the decision to go back in and play with Rhys.  A couple of minutes later, I heard this...

"Hey Rhys!  I have a great idea!  How about if you take some food and play with it the way you want and I'll take some food and put it on the plate?"

Rhys, "Yeah!"

So I called her back in and gave her a high five.  "Awesome idea, girl!"

They played amazingly well together for the next five minutes, when I heard this...

"Um, Rhys, I need to say something to you.  I'm sorry for getting upset and trying to make you play like I wanted to play."

Of course, I called her back in.  And with tears in my eyes, I praised her like crazy for apologizing.  I prayed over her and thanked Jesus for the beautiful gift of her life and for giving her such a sweet spirit.  After that, Rhys came in and said...

"Sorry, Sister, for getting mad at you."

And then I cried some more.

They hugged and went back to playing.

I told Chris the story.  When he got home, AK was still awake (an hour past her bedtime, dagum it).  He told her momma had said she'd done something really awesome while playing with Rhys.  She said...

"Yeah, Daddy, I just had to figure it out on my own."

So true.  I hadn't suggested sharing the food.  Although I've suggested and even forced the concept of sharing a zillionity times before.  This time she processed it and came to that conclusion on her own.  

I wish I could express to you what a HUGE DEAL this was for a strong-willed child to willingly decide ON HER OWN to share.  This girl fights me over every tiny detail on most days.  There are the occasional days when she'll be easy going but most days, I watch her struggle with the feeling in her gut telling her to FIGHT and her head reminding her it's not a big deal.  We often talk about that feeling in her tummy and how she needs to listen to what she knows in her head to be true.  

This time, she did just that.  She let her head remind her sharing with her brother was a good thing.  Not a defeat but a good thing.  A kind thing.  A thing that put sharing with him above keeping it all for herself.  

There are really no words to express my gratitude to my Father for that entire series of events.  Without a doubt, He is working in her heart.  And in mine.  I can see the evidence of His love right there in our living room.  I feel asleep with thankfulness on my lips and a full grateful heart.