the sweetest thing

jude is only wearing a diaper and is covered in blue {washable} marker.

noah is wearing his red cape.

there are 2 cardboard houses in my living room {decorated in blue washable marker}. one belongs to a washing machine. the other to a dryer. we have power. both are running right now. so incredibly thankful.

putamayo kids folk playground music is playing right now.

i did a 30 minute pilates video workout this morning and dripped sweat.

i made our favourite banana muffins this morning.

my hair feels unbelievably healthy and wonderful after getting a haircut last week.

tonight we're having tuna casserole for dinner. i'll probably get started on that soon.

i banned all kids toys in the living room this morning after the boys painstakingly and with much complaining grudgingly cleaned up the mess that had somehow taken over our entire living room. we'll see how long it lasts. jude needs constant reminders of this new rule. i've lost it a few times with them today. i hate raising my voice. i feel like bill cosby sometimes,
come here. come HERE. COME HERE. COMEHERECOMEHERECOMEHERE. 
i know this is a reflection upon my poor parenting skills and lack of consistency as of late.

regardless, there are many things {so many things} that we have to be thankful. i am counting my blessings. one by one, big and small.

- that jude's cold has passed. we didn't have to take him to the clinic.
- a washer!
- a dryer!
- my very own Mr. Darcy who would say that i have bewitched him body and soul.
- power!
- friends here in Kampala
- sweet friends and family in Canada
- skype
- sour gummy worms
- sharing a giddy laugh with jamie in the pantry
- friends here who know how to fix stuff
- the smell of freshly cleaned and dried laundry
- money to buy food
- noah's imagination and love of reading
- a Kindle from my in-laws {the gift of unlimited reading here!}

thank you, Jesus.