Fifty- Two Kleenexes For the Love of Mr. Joseph

Man, am I glad Monday is over!

Yesterday was a DOOZY!  I actually woke up feelin' pretty peppy, kind of like, C'mon Monday, watcha got, watcha got?  Never taunt a Monday. Never.

About five minutes into my strut, Charlie puked on me. Let's just say that the day was a steady down-hill wedgie from that point on.  Thankfully, I found a bag of chocolates leftover from Christmas buried in the corner of the pantry, (good things come to those who are willing to dig) the ones I skillfully hid during my last tour of the Whole30. That, and a funny little list of child-friendly cursers sure came in handy for medicating my splitting nerves.

Of course nothing says stick it, Monday like cooking with wine, (supper preparations began promptly at 2:00 p.m.) and Julia Child's Beef Bourgingion did not disappoint! With three cups of wine in the sauce we  I didn't let a drop go to waste *wink-wink*.

Even though we have a mad case of the pukes and sniffles in this house, I don't want you to think we're all down and out around here.  There's always something to smile about, something to be thankful for, like this little fella:

Can you believe he's seven months already?? 

His recent hobbies include buffing up with the plank position which moves smoothly into a lightening speed crawl across the living room.  He keeps his toned yet cuddly physique extra squishy with plentiful helpings of rice cereal and milk.

Mr. fit is on a bit of a detour from his normal routine since the poor little guy has a terrible cold.  Oh, how he breaks my heart with his glassy, lovin'-eyed smile.  Nose running, eyes watering, and he still offers us all the sweetest grin on a minute-to-minute basis.

Last night, after all of the boys were tucked in soundly, I picked up a trail of tissues through the house - 52 tissues - to be exact. I know, snotty tissues strewn about the house, yuk, right? I'm not gonna win the Miss Sanitation award any time soon.  But, to me, the tissues were remnants of pure goodness left behind by the brothers for me to remember what is my most important work in this home, and that is to foster and nurture love.

No need for a pacifier, the bottom lip will due.

Fifty-two times yesterday the boys noticed that Joseph needed his nose wiped, and they gently and thoughtfully tended to his sniffles.

Ben is very camera shy, like his mama, so I had to sneak around the corner with my phone to snap these pics of him changing Joey's pj's.  He's always asking if he can help with Joseph, and is such a natural when it comes to caring for him.

I love to see the boys' tenderness and attentiveness toward him.  On Sunday afternoon I ran to town to purchase a few things that I knew we would need to get through the next few days. Before I left, Henry grabbed my arm before I sprinted out the door and, with serious urgency, pleaded on Joey's behalf for me to buy the kleenexes that have "wotion" on them, because the "wotion" ones are softer and won't make his nose red and ouchie.

What makes a 7 year old think of such things? He had no idea how his kindness flooded my heart with joy.

Beneath all the grit and grime, the rough and tough of boys there is a real sensitivity, and genuine desire to care for others, more so than I often give them credit for.

Although the days at home with the boys teaching school and keeping the house in one piece can sometimes be long and arduous, the very thing that keeps me from being completely overwhelmed is their love, and the beautiful relationships that are growing within that love.  What a gift to have a front row seat to it all.