Harmony and Havoc: The little things

I don't know what it is about Sundays, but it always seems to be on Sundays when I notice more than the typical amount of - I don't know - sweetness? coming from my family. I always think my family is awesome, but we do have our shared of bickering, breakdowns and bawling. ;o) Today at church, I caught my 16 year old daughter actually singing the hymns, and she did it the whole meeting. I also saw her hug, genuinely hug, her older brother. Sofie, our 8-year-old, spontaneously got up in front of the whole congregation and shared her testimony, including expressing gratitude for the opportunity to fast and receive blessings. I saw older siblings comfort younger ones, and I got "just because" hugs from two of my older kids, and a request for a mommy-daughter date on Saturday from another.

Cora helped me make lunch, Jackson and Beck put together tomorrow's school lunches, and Curtis and the other kids brought down all the dirty laundry and got it sorted. After lunch, everybody pitched in and helped clean up the mess without being asked. People thanked me for the good food (which they are always great about doing) and told me specific things they liked about the meal. For Family Home Evening, Zoe and Maizie put together a great activity of scripture charades, and everyone participated and had fun. As I type, I'm listening to Ethan play the piano. Everything has just worked today, and having a day like this makes me incredibly grateful for the amazing family that God has assembled for us. I miss my daughter in Billings, and it's hard to be separated from Song Guo, but I look forward to the special holidays and other occasions when our entire family can be together. I love them all so much.

Here are a few pictures from Family Home Evening today. I snapped them with my phone, so most of them are blurry, but they make me happy to look at. (Well, except when I see the lathe and plaster in the background... Sigh...) :o)