New mercies.

The wind chimes dance out on the front porch, its song carries into the living room where I sit as the babies nap. It has been a blessed, sweet morning.

After an extremely hard night with Watts (hourly diarrhea due to antibiotics + bad diaper rash) and a three year old who has now decided she wants to co-sleep, we awoke to happy kids and a cool, Fall-ish day. After putting a call in to the doctor(s) and given the okay to monitor Watts at home, the morning became wide-open for the kids and me.

We played. Opened windows to air out the house and swept the floors so as not to feed the mice (me). Put on dresses to twirl in (Piper) and ate a couple handfuls of Baby Goldfish (Watts). Crawled around naked for some doctor ordered air-time (Watts) and got peed on (me).  Danced to Fresh Beat Band (Piper) and ate another snack (all of us). Tried to turn the car around in the backyard and ran over a potted plant (me).

Mid-morning we ventured out to run some errands, armed with masks, wipes, and antibacterial soap. We walked the aisles at Target to gather our needed items and bought a winter hat for Watts that looks like a puppy dog, diapers, and random food items for Watts to try (his chemo-taste buds seem to be in full-swing).

I made grilled cheese sandwiches and we ate them out on the porch. Watts laughed and smashed peas and Piper and I celebrated as he drank a few sips of (expensive) boxed milk. Packaging is everything, apparently, even for a 14 month old.

It all felt strangely normal. And normal is such a gift. We've had some hard days lately... honestly, some hard months... but oh! the sweetness of the moments filled with joy? They almost take my breath away. I almost had to pinch myself today to make sure this is real life.

 

 His mercies are truly new every morning.

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Remember my affliction and my wanderings,

the wormwood and the gall!

My soul continually remembers it

and is bowed down within me.

But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

 His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentation 3:19-26