Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Savor the joy...

Have you ever noticed that the things you love most about someone are the little things.  Like when a person tells you about someone they really enjoy spending time with, it is often hard for them to put their finger on exactly what it is...well, I've got three pretty fabulous kids and I can spend just about all day telling you what makes them special and why I adore them.  But these days, I'm savoring those moments just a little bit more because it is almost that time of year for my A#1 Angel girl to head back to college.  Wow-I just got misty eyed thinking about it.  Whoever warned me that the first summer back from college was miserable you were W-A-Y, way off!!!  I find myself feeling a bit tight around the chest and that huge knot forming in my throat just thinking about next Sunday.

Yesterday, said College girl announced that she needed a pair of tennis shoes...so I told her that our window of opportunity would be this morning.  Because it was overcast, we all felt a little slow and getting out of the house was a little off beat.  We arrived at the shoe store, ready to do battle with the almighty footwear.  Anna was armed with a pair of socks and a complete lack of enthusiasm for any of the shoes on the shelf,  except the exact same pair that I picked out and purchased back in March.  After comically trying on about 50 pairs of shoes, she jumps up and down in the mirror, runs up and down the aisle and proclaims that my shoes are the only ones that will do.  I decide to do the motherly thing and take advantage of the 50% off the second pair and purchase myself a second pair-in the coordinating color.

So we check out with the lovely lady named Brooke.  (Who loves her nose piercing but is currently sad because when washing her face the other day she knocked it out and lost her stud and is now sporting a ring.)  We leave the store with laughter and Anna reverts to her childhood and proceeds to only walk on the paint because the "black part is lava, Mom!!!"  She hops safely into the car!  Thank goodness.

After all the shopping, she is absolutely famished but fortunately her Dad has texted an invite to meet him for lunch-complete with a delicious picture proclaiming there is enough for three.  We quickly drive to the Bentonville Butcher & Deli and indeed he has saved enough for her to enjoy some smoked pulled pork and green beans.  Dads are the best!!

At a stoplight she throws her magic to make the light turn green-a throwback from her childhood.  I shared the secret with her that when she was little I'd watch the cross light count down for her to throw her magic to change my light to green.  When she was small, she'd giggle with delight every time because she believed in herself that she was magic and could do anything!  Wow-I sure wish we all could be empowered to believe in ourselves the way that girl does.

Next we head to pick up Melissa who is hanging out with Sheila & Amelia this morning-she is being a Mother's Helper in preparation for babysitting someday.  We leave their home and are heading down Hiwassee Road when eagle eye Anna spies a snapping turtle.  Nothing would do but she must take a picture.  So the hazards go on and the pictures are "snapped."  We head on our merry way when she begins to whine about how we should have saved the poor turtle and she begs me to turn around...so, I do and she kindly assists the turtle across the road.

Between the silly things we had some really great talks today, talks about what the future holds for her and how it's okay for dreams to shift.  Dream shifting doesn't equal failure or quitting, it simply means you've grown and seen a bigger horizon.

So, what's the purpose of this blog today-absolutely nothing other than savor and enjoy every single moment.  Find joy in the everyday happenings.  Grab yourself a journal or start a blog and record some of these little things that make you crazy blessed for before you know it...they'll be gone.