Stuck.

So a couple of weeks ago we took the babies to My Big Back Yard.  One glimpse of the huge tree house and they were off.  They climbed the stairs crossed the wobbly bridge and there they stood in front of the big green slide.  I took off running to the bottom to catch the little daredevils (all the while shouting up to Clay at the top, "I dont think this is a good idea...") and before I knew it Murphy was in position and ready to go, all was well although he somehow came out backwards, which made me a little nervous about what happened in that dark tunnel, but nevertheless one piece=OK.  Next it was Maddens turn she was so eager to be a daredevil just like Murphy...she sat down and was off!  I stood at the bottom and she NEVER came out!   With my camera ready to capture the biggest smile I could imagine, I kept taking pictures of the empty slide, then the screaming.  She was stuck.  She was really stuck, as in several minutes.  Clay was at the top warding off other kids from sliding down on top of her and I was in a skirt at the bottom so I couldnt exactly shimmy up the slide in front of the birthday party going on right behind us....then the rescue.  A man came running from the party hearing all of our screams flipped on his back and went up the slide to retrieve our daredevil.
Needless to say if you see us at the playground, Madden has taken to becoming a master of the swings...thats it no slides in over a week, wont go near them.
This made me think about some things on a bigger scale...One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is seriously a must read.  Its incredible, an examination of a life lived to the fullest and how to get there.  She writes about how she came to the answer of how to live fully and with the joy that only God can give.  One word "Eucharisteo".  Thanksgiving.  Life moves fast if we let it, we race from one obligation, one problem solved to the next, but what are we racing towards?  She talks about having enough time, enough time to appreciate gifts...some on my list are, getting happy mail, the way Murphy says "no", the beach, holding my babies...

I have three pictures of this empty death trap... :)

 "Eucharisteo is the state of the perfect man. Eucharisteo is the life of paradise.  Eucharisteo is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven."  With that said she describes a simple exercise of noting the things around you you are thankful for, everyday, everywhere.  In doing this and living in gratitude we are able to "slow down and see God in the moment."

If I'm not careful he might just drive like I do one day...yikes

those smiles...

off to the slide

touch a truck at the library, and what does he want to drive?  the race car of course.

I started my list last week and its hard now to stop...dont get me wrong, I struggle with the day to day whining and things going on in our lives, but I feel like there is also an awakening going on, one that forces me to move forward towards something I am thankful for, instead of putting value and time only on things I consider "hinderences".  In doing this I am able to take my focus to something positive instead of being "STUCK".