"Children who have the ability to recall and make sense of memories from daily life—the first day of preschool, the time the cat died—can use them to better develop a sense of identity, form relationships and make sound choices in adolescence and adulthood, new research shows"
~ The Power Of Earliest Memories

The kids and I spent the day in World Market and Target buying some things for the house and the new clothes for summer that we've not been able to find at the thrift shop. Its pretty rare for us to venture into retail mecca and we had a great time. After picking out new curtains and a rug for our living room, we spent a long time walking around shit-talking and cracking jokes. I think we touched everything in the store? We all laughed and we had a lot of fun and I kept thinking: this is homeschool, this is us having fun, taking in the world, being together, enjoying life, being out, no one knows our life is like this, these smiles--these are normal day smiles for my kids. A narration which was the opposite of foreboding joy.*  I guess we might call it simple or common joy.

The men are going out tonight to watch a baseball game with friends. R and I are planning popcorn for dinner and The Deathly Hallows, part 2. With extra butter.

*Oprah and Dr. Brown sound a little too enthusiastic in this clip. But I'll be damned if it doesn't sum up my experience of this entire year practicing gratitude. Its word to the word truth.

Hey kids? I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR MOTHER!  I LOVE YOU BOTH, SO MUCH.