Thankful Thursday

It's Thurday ~ time for pausing to think of the things we are thankful for.

Today, I am thankful I put my wants aside for a bit and spent time with my daughter. Rather than reading, watching TV or blogging I spent time with Rebecca.

She wanted to play a board game. After she had played by herself for a few minutes, she asked if I would play. I have never been the kind of mom who sits on the floor and plays with my kids for long periods of time. I just never really enjoyed it. However, as time has passed, I have realized some of the perfect opportunities I lost to connect with my children. These days I am trying to be more intentional about spending quality time with my kids, even when I don't want to or it seems unnatural for me.

This morning, Becca asked me to play Snakes & Ladders with her. I stopped what I was doing and we enjoyed a great game! Then, later after the littlest guy was down for his nap, Becca called me into her room to show me the amazing train tracks she had set up. The tracks weren't quite matching up so I helped her to fix them and then we played together. New routes were created, wooden animals were added to the fun (we had to get creative when the zebra wouldn't fit in the tunnel), and blocks were used to construct a barn. It was fun watching her use her imagination. Times like these are priceless and I hope to have more of them!

Check out Iris' blog to participate in Thankful Thursday or to read other people's thankful thoughts.