Small successes are better than no successes. (And yes, I spelled my own name wrong over at catholicmom.com.)

1) I had a very productive morning, even if it got off to a slightly later-than-usual start. Fingers were flying. Words knocked out in cohesive sentences. And I made a run to get some summer clothes for a south-traveling kid-o-mine who has nary a thread to wear from last summer.

2) I used the word nary. ^

3) Just as I was starting my van to head to teach children’s choir, I did a mental survey of the farewell conversation I had with my 11-year-old. In my mind’s visual super-slo-mo playback, I realized that while I was packing music, he was cutting open an entire package of bacon and putting it – as one big overhanging hunk – on a salad plate. Wait. I thought. What the heck is he going to do with that?

Success! I ran inside, cut the impending action and prevented the gory greaseshed – and one serious microwave (hot) mess.

This lovely artwork was Henry’s Christmas gift to me. He made it at the famous Pewabic Pottery center in Detroit. Yes. It says bacon. And Tea. Because he loves bacon, and I love tea. Except he spelled tea wrong. Which he knew, but “there was no turning back once I gouged it in the clay.” That’s my boy: The bacon-loving clay gouger.

Today is Small Successes Thursday over at catholicmom.com – a gentle reminder not only to not sweat the small stuff – but to celebrate even the smallest successes over the past week – because they add up. So, here’s what I’m celebrating. (One of my successes should be that I’m actually participating in this, after a slow recovery from the first time I did – which was a catastrophe.)

1) Although I contemplated removing my high heels during mass and chasing full-speed ahead and barefoot after my three-year-old track-star of son as he ran laps up, down and across the aisles in church, as the prayerfully giggling congregation was preparing to receive communion …

I did not.

I kept my shoes on.

I stood patiently and (may I add) rather calmly and only watched in horror as he dodged every outstretched hand and turned on his heels to run the other direction. Again and again. This almost counts for a two-fer, since I didn’t holler, “Get that little *&@%$!” That, my friends, is success. (With a dash of decorum, I might add.) And a special public-thank you goes to the brave usher who finally nabbed Cliff, legs still treading air.

Go Dog, Go! This is what Cliff looks like running in church. Not our church, but an exceptionally lovely one, just the same.

2) Three times in this one week, I thought about what to make for dinner BEFORE my kids were crying that they were so hungry they were going to die. (AND, I didn’t remind them that they don’t even know what hunger is.)

Grill food, Grill! This is was food looks like. On my grill. Food I cut. With a sharp knife. I know. Impressive.

3) And, I actually caught at least glimpses of three of the six races my kids were swimming at their meet last night. I missed the others because I was busy yacking on the pool deck. (Sue me, I’m desperate for adult conversation.) But if parenting was baseball, I’d be batting .500 and earning some serious cash. Cabrera’s average for 2011 was .344 and he raked in $20 million last year. I figure my average earns me a pedicure. Or a Snickers. Or a lick of a lollipop. Or something.

Swim Henry, Swim! This is what water looks like. When Henry is swimming in it. I know, it’s a stupid picture. But that is actually Henry swimming the fly. Not that you could even tell that.

So what’s your success? (I, obviously, cannot include good swimming photos in mine.)

Here are my Thursday Small Successes, linked to Chocolate for Your Brain. Drum roll, please?

• I managed to make it through my five-year-old daughter’s birthday today only crying twice. First at church with her in the morning. And second, watching her get her portraits taken. Not too bad. Once I cried at mass, I thought I was going to be done for. She’s gotten so big. So fast. But I kept it together.
• I actually planned ahead to wash and vacuum the van at the coin op car wash right after the kids had swim team practice. They were already dressed to help with the job. And enjoyed it. Thoroughly.
• I got a regular, steady-ish, part-time writing gig. (Steady for freelance writing.)  And it involves the kids. Nice. Excited. A prayer or two or 20 is always welcomed.

The deal is to post this on Thursday. But it’s one minute from Friday … and I’m not going to make it … so that’s not going to be on my success list. But I DID do these three small things.

1. Helped my dad on a presentation that he’s going to give in Florida next week. We knocked that thing out in about an hour. It looks great. I got to spend some time next to my rockin’ daddio as he told me all about Shoeless Joe Jackson and how mean Ty Cobb was. Fascninating stuff.
2. I actually saw two out of four races my daughter swam in tonight. I missed one because I couldn’t get there on time after dropping off other kidlets, and missed another because I had my nose in a book. BUT I saw the first-and second-place wins. I was there. She was happy. I was happy. Go team.
3. I crockpotted a lovely meal for Friday so I can feed my family even as I’m away practicing for Saturday’s Confirmation Mass, at which I will sponser one seriously lovely young lady.

And now, I link this to Chocolate for your Brain. For reasons that I’m not quite clear about.