There is great gain...

We recently had a month off over the Christmas season - travelling up to Queensland and Sydney and all around for a month - yes, that including logging many hours on the road with our two cherubs! I thought it could have been a stressful time but instead it was FANTASTIC! I won't rehash the entire trip but suffice to say Mark and I both found it (largely) very relaxing and fun! Now Mark is back at work and I am amazed at how refreshed I feel! Staying home with two kids sure takes a lot out of you (although it also puts a lot more back in!)... but by the end of last year I was wrecked. Really wrecked.... 2011 was just a massive year involving selling a house, buying a house, renovating, major work projects and uni for Mark, etc etc. I think we were all worn out, but coming into this new year, I truly feel rejuvenated and ready to launch into 2012 - although I am going to try and keep the pace a little slower this year! (hahahahahaah, says my internal self, knowing this will never happen!)

Anyhoo.... this week at home has been quiet. Calm. Peaceful. I have felt so relaxed and purposeful just spending time with my kids. Happy to just be home with them. Not meaning I used to wish I was working (as I just know I am in the right place for this season of our lives), but meaning I am often keeping us all so busy out of the house most days, doing doing doing! But this week I have felt content just pottering at home. Playing games and hanging out, cleaning of course but not toooo much! We have visited a lady from church with a chronic illness, we have popped by the local library, oh yes and I did host mother's group on Monday but apart from that... just chilling at home. I have felt really content.... relaxed... did I mention calm?! A simple sense that all is well in our little world - and  feeling so grateful for that. Reflecting on that, I think a month away has done our family a world of good! Not only that but I have been praying lately for God to give me a greater sense of peace and contentment in my home life - rather than that low-level buzz of anxiety that I should always be doing/cleaning/crafting/cooking/achieving/busy. It felt right this week to just push that aside and I hope I can continue to, in order to be more in the moment and enjoy it more with my kids.

And so today I took the kids for a stroll around the block - nothing special, just a mission to look for things that were 'Amazing'.... and well, look what we found along a path behind a house...

A field of dandelions!! Along with plenty of 'dandelion clocks' to blow (Eli thought they were bubbles!). It was a really sweet time running around and discovering things and the kids loved it.... and you know what, so did I!

Oh  yes - in the spirit of jumping in where I am (thanks Flylady!), I am not going to try and dredge up past photos to fill in the past days but instead just go from here...  Loving the idea of this being something the kids can look back on one day!

'Godliness with contentment is great gain' 1 Timothy 6.6