Just fine, thank you.

If you asked me how I'm doing today, I'd say, "I'm fine." What does THAT mean?  Well, at my house, today, this is what "fine" means.

It means I washed eight loads of laundry over two days and had a helper at folding time.

It means my very grumpy, embarrassed-to-be-seen-with-me 12-year-old had a great time on a scout camp-out.

It means I am trying to eat more healthfully and exercise more dutifully.

It means Garry is doing a much better job at this and has already lost twelve pounds this year (some of them found me).

It means that Gavin has made that happy break-through with reading that transforms it from chore to challenge to joy.

It means that Kate is adorable, but very much a two-year-old who constantly tries my patience.

It means that shopping with small children is as hard as it ever was, but I have made a resolution not to shop, so my life is greatly simplified.  (I'll miss you, Target.)

It means that I am mostly patient when children make themselves chocolate milk and put way too much Hershey's syrup in it.

It means that sometimes bath time is boring, and goggles spice it up.

It means that sometimes a child's homework becomes my homework, especially on the night before a project is due. {This is a mercury costume.}

It means that I'm reading the "Seven Habits" book and getting all inspired/overwhelmed at the prospects of revolutionizing my existence.

It means that we replaced our pre-marriage plastic containers with fancy-ish new ones that are awesome.com.

It means that nap time has been happening a lot lately for Lexi and me.

It means that we have one fun parent in the house.  His name starts with D and ends with addy.

It means that drives to the temple are very long when freeways are snowy, but always worth the time and effort.

It means that on hard days, the sun sets and there's the promise of a fresh start tomorrow.

So if you run into me somewhere and I tell you I'm "fine," you'll know what I mean.