9/11

Do you know what happiness I find in remembering 9/11 and I find because of it? Because people who knew they had only a few minutes to live called to express love. And those who did not fall this day were reminded by those fallen how important every moment is, and how much love came pouring out.

It reminded all of Americans to take time and remember those who really, really matter. To remember WHAT really matters in life, and I say with confidence that many people learned to stop taking many things for granted.

I know I did. I am grateful daily for the many blessings in my life. For my family, my parents, my husband, my child, my happiness, my friends, my dog, my home, my community, my job, my bed, the roof over my head, good food, good health, and more. I do say prayers of thanks everyday for them. Being just out of college, I think I was at a good part of my life as I began adulthood, and really took time to think of what is really important, and how lucky I am.

Bless you, and bless America.

Happiness and Heartbreak

Almost a week ago, I heard of a friend's passing. She was 48. Lost her 5 year battle with cancer. Used to model in Paris, married for 15 years. Had four children, rising 9th, 7th, 5th, and 3rd graders. Model, but also model parent, wife, and friend. She was tremendously amazing.

She is someone I will remember for years to come. I cried when I heard of her passing. Cried a few hours later again. Then again at her memorial service on Saturday. I think what breaks my heart the most is knowing her children as well as I do. I have, in my 5 years, taught three of them, and my husband has taught the eldest. I taught one for one year, another child for 2, and the youngest for FOUR years. So I know this family well, and fell in love with them like so many at my school had.

Paula was nothing short of a beautiful woman. I am SO happy I knew her. I choose to see this as a time for mourning, but a time of pensive thanksgiving. I truly reflect on how grateful I am to have known her, and to have watched her interact with so many people. She blessed so many lives.

There aren't many people I can say who are simply, truly, beautifully GOOD. She was.

In the midst of heartbreak, happiness for being graced with her presence.

Paula was tremendous, and she did a 3-day 60 mile walk for breast cancer awareness (although she herself had another form, her mother had lost her battle with breast cancer many years ago) a year and a half ago. Here is her depiction of her experience, if you are so inclined. I wish I could point our friend out to you, but she is one who has little hair, and is very tall! Often in this video, she is wearing shades and a cowboy hat. Anyway...just a small part of her legacy.

52 Weeks of Happiness, Week 7

I just looked over the past 6 weeks of Happiness photos, and I was surpised at what I didn't see. I thought for sure I'd put up pictures of my son, but sure enough, none have been put up yet!

And he makes me wildly happy.

I'm not sure if it's a new (by choice) medicine I'm on or just spring fever, but I find myself recently kind of down. Like my brain chemistry is kind of off. Who knows, and I'll get to the bottom of it, but in the meantime...my son can send a cloudy day far, far away and bring in sunshine, rainbows, and everything else wonderful.

Yesterday was one of those days. Long meeting after work. Kids were out of control (spring fever, anyone!?), and I was not happy on my way home, despite the wonderfully beautiful spring day.

But as I pulled in to pick up my son, everything changed. I was euphoric.

When I got home, I started making his dinner, and it got a little quiet (uh-oh!) in the other room. I went in to check on him and I saw this...



My sweet guy had gotten himself completely on his rocking horse and was going to town! It made me so happy to know how wonderfully his development is going and how lucky and happy I am that he is so healthy. (Knock on wood)

He makes me wildly happy, even on those frustrating mom days. I still am happy I get to be a mom, otherwise, I would be deprived of this tremendous love.

Attitude of Gratitude

It's no secret that having a thankful heart will bring you joy. I was watching an episode of Private Practice last night called "Blind Love." I didn't get to finish it, as hubby came in and shared his happiness -- a full first draft of his Master's Thesis! WOOHOO!

Anyway, in the episode, there was a mother who was nursing a child, and the mother was blind. It made me think how tremendously grateful I am for my senses.

I am thankful for sight, so that I may see every inch of my sweet child, see his hair color, his eye color, and see if anything does not look right so as to help him immediately.

I am thankful for smell, so I may take in that natural baby smell that will disappear with time, and smell his Dreft-yummy laundry and clean washed hair. And those heavenly baby lotions...

I am thankful for taste, so I may too taste the foods I make for my son, so that I know I am giving him something worth eating! Yesterday I made him a sweet orange salad, with a homemade lime/honey dressing for avocados, quartered grape tomatoes, and mandarin oranges. It was delicious!

I am thankful for touch, because from the first time I nursed with his face against my skin I knew we were finding new ways to bond. I sometimes simply hold his face in my hands to feel his sweet baby skin. And it never gets old. I am grateful to feel new teeth coming in!

I am thankful for hearing, so I may listen to his cries to alert me of his negative emotions. So I may hear his babbling turn into words, and so I may hear the greatest sound of all...his baby laughter.

And yes, I am thankful for the sixth sense to know when he is not safe or something is wrong. I have always had that sixth sense, but a mother's sixth sense is sharper, keener, and coated with love. It is the ultimate protection sense.

For the senses, I am truly grateful.