Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

I haven't made the official announcement here yet, so here it is: John is back home and I am homeschooling both of the boys. Dare I say it? Yay!!

I am really happy! I mean really, really happy! I'm a happy girl! Did I mention I was feeling happiness??

Yesterday was our first official day back to school and it was awesome! We played 7 games of Uno before starting school and we had plain 'ole fun! Barrel of monkeys kind of fun, with loud, raucous laughter and silly antics. Just in case you are wondering, we did not groom each other and then eat the bugs that we found in each other's fur.

I learned how to play Uno as a child but I was a little rusty on the rules. Plus, they changed the way that the cards look and so that took some getting used to. But, in true John and Jeremy fashion, they took to it like fish in water and had no trouble with the rules or the freaky looking cards.

I do have this to say though, never play these kids for money, they slaughtered me! They thought it was hysterical to make me draw four and skip me. Jeremy, at one point, held up his cards to cover his mouth and said, in a boisterous voice, "John, I have a draw two card but I'm saving it for mommy." I told him that he should whisper his strategies in the future because I heard every word that he said. They just laughed.

It was sweet to see them not wanting to force each other to draw cards or skip each other. My heart melted when Jeremy said he didn't want to use his draw four card on John because I had just used my skip card on him. *sniff, sniff*

We put the cards aside and pulled the books out. We did some math and spelling and then we broke for lunch. We worked together in the kitchen preparing the food and as I was listening to them chatter on about quads and North Carolina and going to see grandma in February, I thought my heart was going to explode with joy. Being that no one wants exploded heart on their peanut butter and jelly, I attempted to pull myself together.

I felt the kind of joy that one feels when all is right with the world. Yes, there was mud on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, laundry waiting to be folded and it was 12:15 and I had not even thought about making my bed. But all was right with the world. John and Jeremy were with me and Joe was tucked safely away in his crib, sleeping peacefully. Kevin was somewhere, doing Kevin-ish things. But his presence was felt, too.

I stopped in that moment to revel in the fact that this is what I want, the only thing that I want. I want to be with my children and I want there to be laughter within our walls. I want joy and peace to reign supreme in our little house. I want those things and I felt incredibly blessed and overwhelmed to have them.

Today was just as good, if not better.

I am really happy!, I mean really, really happy!

Look to the finish!