Cross+Training Day 3 Opening with Prayer...

Fridays are awesome, right? Last day of the week, life slows down? Well, mine today was packed. A trip to the zoo was planned with S and our friends, S had her 2-year-old visit to the pediatrician and of course we are out of eggs again. (I never imagined we would be an egg family, but we are.) So, I knew to get 5 minutes of prayer, I would need to begin my day there. I know everyday can't start like that for me, but today, it worked. It was quiet. It was calming. It started me off with peace. So that, when I went downstairs and....

D was going CRAZY over everything related to getting ready for school and breakfast (so much for my thoughts from yesterday). I didn't crack. He kept pushing and I stayed calm. I think it's really important to stay calm and hold tight to things like, 'I don't respond to demands, I respond to polite requests.' The fact is I can't always do this. No one can. So today I'm grateful for...

Grace in parenting. Somedays it's hard and other times it seems amazing, but having grace with myself really makes a difference.

That said, I'm also grateful for cooperative kids like today when S was willing to stop doing what she was doing and get dressed without a fight. Ahh. Perhaps she sensed I needed that!

Finally, I'm grateful for our pediatrician Dr. Ubell is AMAZING. I'm not sure I can put it into words right now, but I can say she made the difference in my day. Perhaps another time, I will find a way to express how many times I have seen her and felt like she had the words and the presence to give me hope and direction. Bonus, she has a medical degree!

Where did you see God today? With such a full day, it is hard to pick one things, but check out this photo (sorry about the poor focus) and tell me that this isn't amazing.

This is a bonobo adult and the sweetest little baby. The adult protected the baby when it needed a break from the many excited children and adults peering into it's cage. Love and care throughout creation. Sometime I'm going to weigh in on what is was like to be taught creationism for my first 13 years of life and not really get the whole evolution thing (I'm totally into evolution for the record). Today however, I have two little ones that want to play!

Our trip around the zoo met my 30 minutes of exercise today.  A bit more restful exercise, but I'm counting it.

S and her friend checking out the gorilla