Simplicity

This has been an interesting week. The boys (and I) have been sick since Sunday and we have barely left the house. Alex gets cabin fever quickly and today we had a conversation like this:

"Okay boys get your shoes on, we are going to Dad's work" 

Alex started bouncing around with joy. 

"What are we going to do there? 

"We're just going to drop something off, we won't even go inside. Sorry. Do you still want to go?"

"Yes, I'm excited." (with a huge smile on his face)

Sad thing was, he fell asleep after a minute of driving and when we got home he was miserable because he missed our only outing of the week. 

Anyway, the homebound life has given me some much needed perspective. 

1. The boys are so happy. From this I have learned that my attention is the most valuable thing to them and the most available resource I have.  
2. Less is more. Each day this week I have taken on only two "to do" items - and actually accomplished them. Feels much better than wanting to do 10 things and accomplishing nothing.
3. Use what I have. 

Wrapping Christmas presents tonight was a perfect example of this. I looked at my seemingly endless roll of Christmas wrapping paper only to find about 6 inches left. Next to it was my roll of kids art paper. Hmm. This is paper - it can wrap stuff.  I think I'll use it. Then I go to my ribbon box - the only thing is white ribbon. Hmm. I bought this because I thought white went with all colors of paper. But does it go with white paper? Why not. So as a result I wrapped my family's presents with the white on white look (hopefully not too weddingish)  

As I wrapped I thought of all the colors associated with Christmas.  In the US, the month of December is not lacking in colors, frills, bows, lights and accessories.  When Christ was born he  was wrapped in swaddling clothes  because thats all they had - and it was beautiful. 

Albert Camus said "in the depth of winter [we find] within [us] an invincible summer." I am finding that this week.