Last night John took the girls to the store. He warned them before they left that if they misbehaved, they would take a trip out to the car and get spankings. Evie said, "Daddy, I know where spankings live... In your hand."

I guess they did good at the first store, because they got to go to a surprise store. Evie came in the door and said, "Daddy took us to my favorite restaurant store! Cracker Barrel! Oliver, you should have seen Cracker Barrel!!"

The kids are doing good. Maggie is pretty well over her cold. Just a little drainage left. Oliver has a little cough at night. Evie seems to have escaped this one so far. I was super frustrated this weekend when the kids were sick again after only a couple of weeks. We've been doing so many things to prevent illness and boost their immune systems, and nothing seems to matter. On Friday night I drove by myself to Hastings to return a movie. I was praying the whole way. Over the radio came a song by Darius Rucker about a couple who has a newborn. They are tired, and the mom says to the dad, it won't be this way for long. The baby grows up and goes through difficult phases, and the chorus repeats that it won't be this way for long. I felt like God was speaking to me throught that song. "Be patient. What you're going through is temporary." I just cried. Then, later in the weekend, I read this verse: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18. I may not be going through the hardest things right now, even if I have been tired and frustrated. But that verse made me wake up. I started to thank God that I have three wonderful children to love and care for while they're sick and when they're well. Overall, they are healthy kids. God made me remember that illness is a temporary thing, and I have much to be thankful for. Why am I so prone to forget that?