5 Star Challenge

I'm joining several of my Mom-Objectivist-Blogger friends (Jenn, Kelly) in the 5 Star Challenge because that sounds like just the right amount of mellow fun and not too much effort.  I'm deep into working on an online science curriculum that is happily taking up most of my brain power.

My understanding is that this is supposed to be done over five days with a post each day in this order:
Five things you love about yourself.
Five things your body can do.
Five things you’re grateful for.
Five things that make you happy you’re alive.
Five people (or pets) who you love.


I'm thinking I'm more likely to wind up with 5 weeks, but this certainly fits in the non-urgent category of fun and I'm taking it in the first-thing-that-comes-to-mind manner :)


So... five things I love about myself:


1. I roll with the punches.  It's hard to get under my skin and get me riled.  This is a very good thing with an intense kiddo who can melt into a puddle of scalding fury over a stuck zipper.


2. I sing.  Well, I sing happy songs.  I love that I sing happy songs.  I love that I can sing for more than ten hours straight (and have done so) covering everything from old musicals to Disney and Latin to Hebrew.  I get cheered to the bone when I have hours to walk, fold laundry, or drive and sing the whole time.


3. Surprises.  I love giving and receiving surprises.  It was clearly one of the highlights of my grandma's life when I flew to Vermont (with my son) and surprised her with a visit from her first great grand child on Grandparents Day!  My dear husband thinks I'm absolutely batty for requesting hints and riddles before surprises so that I can anticipate and guess what goodie might be coming my way.  I love both my joy in giving and receiving surprises... anticipation is grand!


4. I'm honest with myself.  I love that I will not lie or pretend something untrue to myself.  When I'm tackling a problem, I have a solid base of trust.


5. Snuggles.  I love that I'm so touchy, feely, snuggly with close friends and family.  I purr when my husband lets me rub my cheeks on his hands.  I play hour long games with my kiddo where we go through every part of his body that I'm not allowed to squeeze, hug, squash, twist, rub, wiggle.... lots of giggles.  I gain so much joy from positive touch and it's a really wonderful thing that my kiddo is a sensory seeker (not a sensory avoider).

And... when I'm caught unawares, bowled over, sometimes literally knocked flat in the sand... I try to laugh and to remember how joyous it is to have a child that loves me so much, that  he wants to fire every neuron in his brain with the feeling of being close to mommy.  (From my "Manners for Sensory Seekers" post)"

I know I just included this picture again, but I do so love it and it fits!