What A Wonderful Life

Thanks to the generous loan of a car by a friend at church, we got out the house today. Josh and Samuel took the bus (it is an ordinary seater car so we couldn't all get in) to Bromley and the rest of us met them there.

We went to the bookshop to spend our World Book Day tokens (which we got posted out to us from EO), then on to the clothes shops. Shock No 1 - Josh now needs to shop in the menswear department not the kids section! Shock No 2 - Josh looking drop dead gorgeous (that wasn't the shock!) in a very grown up blue shirt...

Next we headed over to a cafe for a drink and a snack.

I love being with my family. I am blessed that not only can I truly call my husband my best friend, but also I am honoured to be able to count my sons as best friends too. We had our usual laugh, chatting, sharing, teasing, smiling over cute things that Jonathan was doing..

Shortly before we left a lady got up from the table next to us and came over and put her hand on my shoulder. She said she just wanted to congratulate me on having such a lovely family. She commented on how all the children had eaten with their mouths closed (!) - even the two and a half year old. She couldn't help but be enthralled by Jonathan - everyone is! She'd also noted how relaxed we all were, how friendly, how polite, and it was clear that our relationship with each other was something that stood out as being unusual and noteworthy.

Her husband then commented "don't let it go to their heads!" which, whilst we laughed, actually was quite a sad comment really - why shouldn't my boys be proud of themselves for behaving in such a way? I hope I always encourage, compliment and reward my boys.

It was so nice, that I think we all felt a bit choked up.

Next we headed off to the 99p shop to get a long-promised replacement toy for William (for a Christmas present that had broken straight away). Samuel took some money out of his bank, and Josh had a couple of pounds that his Nan had given him (for turning up at his Cousin's 4th birthday party and putting up with being bored to tears surrounded by screaming tots for nearly 2 hours - just because he had felt it was the right thing to do for the sake of his Cousin). Josh decided that he wanted to treat Samuel and William "because I don't do it often enough" (he said) and proceeded to spend his £2 treat money on treating his brothers.

Once again, Roarke and I were choked up.

I am truly, truly blessed. I thank God for my husband, and for my children. I thank God for home education which allows us the freedom to each be ourselves, and to have the family lifestyle (being together) that we all want and enjoy.

None of these things are things that I take for granted, and all of them are things that I will fight tooth and nail to protect and keep.