I was not saying shoot in my mind, but it was awfully close. Things to be grateful for:

Oops. Two days behind. Still! I'm grateful for:

1. A sleeping baby and distracted daughter. Today, the BIG Santa gift arrived from who knows which delivery service, and was left on our front porch (and by big, I mean over 100+ pounds in a big ol' box of big), and the box very obviously said what it is. Happily, we weren't home when it was delivered (so no one saw it...the older girls were in school) and when I drove into the garage, Miss O was chatting away with Miss B (gratitude #2. I'm so grateful Miss O has a bff who plays not only with Miss O but with her two imaginary friends, Cannah and Q-beeya and I was never so grateful for Miss B as I was today!!!) and so they both were OBLIVIOUS to the ginormous box on the front porch. I was able to whisk Miss Q to her room for her nap (as she was already passed out) and...

3. I asked Miss O and Miss B to go outside to play in the backyard...and they DID!

4. I hauled, all by myself, that box down into the basement, making several hard angled corner turns and hefted it under the stairs, hiding it under a blanket and throwing some bins on top of it in under 5 minutes. WHEW!!!!!

5. Adrenaline...I highly doubt I would have been able to do that without that amazing chemical coursing through my veins. And, let's be honest, it was a total tender mercy of the Lord.

6. Kleenex with lotion. My nose has decided to run all day and the other tissues I've been using have been like rubbing my nose on bark. Ohhhhh the sweet bliss of soft disposable tissues with aloe or whatever the heck they are coated with. Terrible for wiping your glasses, but lovely for wiping your nose!