Little Things that are Making Me Happy Lately

 


   

Sometimes we all get so bogged down with the stresses of everyday living that we forget to just take the time to look around and appreciate the little things in life that bring a smile to our faces.  I was thinking about this very thing this afternoon as I sat on my back porch enjoying the warmth of the sunshine after a very long Winter and cold and wet Spring.  I began to think about what it is that has brought me joy over the past few days and thought I would share it here.

~Clean bed linens drying on the clothesline and the fresh smell they all had when I got them down and folded them later in the day.
~A talk across the fence with my much loved hanai sister Shannon.
~Watching the scrunchy nose look my youngest grandson gave me when I sat him in the grass.  He was not a huge fan of it but it did keep him in one place and not crawling off. 
~Taking flowers from our garden next door to Aunt Norma and seeing the look of delight on her face as our grandson Steven flirted shamelessly with her.  
~Eating some of our meals out on the back porch.
~Patches kitty crawling up onto my chest while I was sitting in the lounge chair outside enjoying the warmth of the sun.
~Seeing the bees fly from dandelion to dandelion collecting the pollen.
~The raspberry patch all pruned and staked up by my amazing hubby.
~Relaxing in the hot tub and talking about just how blessed we are with our kids and grandkids.
~Taking a walk and seeing that Steven feel asleep in the stroller.  He had been fighting taking a nap earlier that day.
~Pictures that our Heather shared online of our oldest grandsons, Bradley and Isaiah, helping to pull nails from fence posts at their property.  They were taking great pride in their work!
~Great news being shared by our son Josh.
~Phone calls from our son Chris.
~Spending time with our Rachel and her blessing me by taking me down to Costco with her.
~Jaysn showing up with cupcakes that Rachel had made.
~Our neighbor's cat, Caspian, coming over to visit Steven and I while we were outside on the lawn.

   None of these things cost us a lot of money.  Even the Costco run was budgeted for but what blessed me most about that trip was spending the time with Rachel and Steven.  Most were even "free".  How many times have we been too busy to slow down and actually watch the dance a bee does when it is pollinating a flower?  It is fascinating!  Do we sit still long enough for a beloved cat to crawl up into our lap or onto our chest and just enjoy stroking it's soft fur?  Are there ways we could spread joy to our elderly neighbors by bringing them flowers or something yummy to eat?  When I feel joy, I want to spread that joy to others.  I want other people to feel the warmth, love and caring that do.  I want them to experience the little joys that are all around us if we slow down and take the time to notice them.  

   My plan is to try to take time each day and soak in those precious moments as they happen.  I want to breath in the fragrance of line dried laundry and freshly baked bread.  I want to soak up the warmth of the sun.  I want to play with all my grandchildren and listen to their laughter and the older two tell me all the wonderful things that are on their minds.  I want to watch the baby as he continues to walk and say new words.  I want to spend more time just enjoying my hubby and surprising him with little treats.  While the world continues to go "crazy" all around us, I want to focus on my home, my family and my friends.  I want this to be a safe haven and one where the little joys in life are experienced and appreciated for the truly wonderful gifts that they are to all of us.  My prayer is that my friends will all join me in doing this and that they too will both find and spread joy in the beauty and love that surrounds us all.