Precious Grains of Sand: My Frosted Flakes

It amazes me how sometimes it's the little things that can really make you feel like a million bucks

And when multiples of these little things all line up within the same period of time

Well, watch out world!

When your pregnant people no longer ask you how you are, they will forever and always ask you how you feel. My answer? The last few days it's been a resounding and cheerful "I feel GREAT!" Like Tony the Tiger after a bowl of frosted flakes. My smile radiates, I can feel it in my eyes. So what blessings and little gems of joy has the Lord weaved together in the last several days to cause me such enthusiasm?

The "I love my wife because..." post my husband wrote for my Birthday was pretty awesome and still makes me smile (and tear up!)
I have two beautiful boys, who are wild, but ultimately amazing kids.
12 hours of completely uninterrupted sleep on Friday night.
Reading and singing and praying about Christmas as a family every night is a special and relaxing way to end each day this season.
I managed to COMPLETE several loads of laundry this weekend and don't have to hunt down clean clothes for the boys to wear each morning.
Between a friend who is letting me borrow her maternity clothes and several frugal trips to the Salvation Army I have a closet full of clothes that I'm in love with and make me feel fabulous.
I had enough energy and motivation combined to clean my bedroom. My ruffly blanket is made up pretty on my bed and my floor is clean, my decorations are slowly coming along making the master bedroom feel like an amazing retreat awaiting me after a long day.
I'm showing way more with this baby at 18 weeks than I did with either of my boys, and yet I still haven't gained a pound! Wohoo!!! (I'll enjoy that for as long as it lasts and as long as my Dr. isn't concerned.)
My hair cut is super easy to style and looks best when the layers all fall in a hundred different directions encouraging me to wear it down more often than I normally do because it doesn't have to look perfect to look good.
The Lord is doing exciting things for so many of our family friends.
My heart is stirring and growing as I relax and reflect this month.
For the first time ever, we have had the privileged to decorate outside for Christmas. Last year was our first year in a home of our own so really the first possibility but we didn't think it wise to spend the money. Our decorations are a simple strand of white lights along the length of our house and garage but oh how splendid it is and what a simple way to show others in our neighborhood we celebrate Christmas, and hopefully our light will continue to shine even after the lights have come down and the season has come to an end.
Micah was a very funny Joseph in the Christmas play yesterday, but the best part was that he was so proud of it and Owen was proud of him. I loved hearing him tell every person who congratulated him who he was, and to even hear him talking about it as he crawled into bed and said good night.
And today's biggest smile comes from having heard the baby's heart beat this morning. A sound I'll never get used to or sick of.

As my mind clears I can see these things more abundantly, yes, laundry is exciting, I have clothes to wear, but also the energy, money and machinery required to clean those clothes and places to put them away. I have a clean or mostly clean house, friends could stop by and I wouldn't have to be embarrassed. I'm enjoying this phase of the early second trimester, I might not be feeling the baby consistently yet, but oh how wonderful it is to have energy, to still be small enough that I can walk and breath and even bend over! In a world that is imperfect all of these things are gifts and blessings that I treasure and focusing on them, and the good that the Lord has done helps me to be cheery and excited and a little like Tony the Tiger as I go about my day.

So, friends, I'll leave you with a few photos and wonder, what is it that the Lord has done or is doing in your life to make you say "I'm GREAT!" What are your Frosted Flakes today?