Joy From The Little Things In Life

Another beautiful summer day. It wasn't overly hot and at times the clouds got in the way of the sun shining down on us but we still enjoyed today. We spent the morning at The Urban Treehouse in Airdrie playing with friends. Then Jaret and I had a lunch date at McDonald's (with Kirra sleeping next to us in her carseat). When we came home, our neighbours came over for a visit. Natalie and I sit and visit while Jaret and Sophie splash around in the pool and run around the yard. Once Terry got home from work, we bbq'ued burgers and sat on the deck to enjoy our supper. When we were almost finished eating we heard the familiar sound of the ice cream truck, as his music drifted through the streets, beckoning us to come buy ice cream. Of course, Terry and Jaret went running to get their usual soft serve vanilla-chocolate twist cones. As we sat on the edge of the deck, Terry and Jaret enjoying their ice cream cones, I just took it all in; realizing how very blessed I am and how I get such joy from the little things in life.

I am grateful for abundant blessings:
- The kind and gentle spirit I see in Jaret when he plays with his friends and how he is learning to apologize when he has done wrong to them.
- The nurturing nature Jaret has with his little sister.
- Jaret occupying himself while I am feeding Kirra (he sat and blew bubbles on the deck yesterday for over half an hour).
- Reading stories with Jaret and seeing how much he enjoys them and learns from them. After reading Green Eggs and Ham he has been noticing rhyming words constantly. The other day he was saying good-bye to Terry as he left for work and he kept saying "Hi - Bye, Hi - Bye." Then he turned to me, standing at the door and said, "Mom, hi and bye are rhyming words. I know lots of rhyming words." Too cute.
- Kirra being such a good and content baby (feeding is going so well, sleeping great at night especially now that she is taking a soother and can soothe herself to sleep - even for naps during the day).
- Smiles and little giggles that we get from Kirra.
- Time spent talking with friends and family on the phone.
- Visits from friends and family that help to bridge the time and distance (and helps me to feel less lonely).
- Playdates for Jaret that are also playdates for Mom.
- Quiet evenings with both children down before 8 o'clock means time for myself or time with Terry.
- Seeing how excited Jaret is when Terry gets home at the end of a work day and watching them run around in the yard together throwing the football or playing t-ball.
- A thoughtful, loving husband who will cut up my food and bring it to me as I sit and nurse Kirra on the couch.
- I could go on and on about the joys that I experience in the simple, everyday things in life - and that is also a huge blessing! All these little things that become memories forever etched on my heart.