Late last week I received news that a high school classmate's two and a half month old daughter passed away unexpectedly. As I read the news about this tragic event, my stomach tightened and I felt nauseas. Why do things like this happen? Why to this classmate? She had just, six months ago, buried her brother after his incredible fight with cancer.
As our family is facing a few medical unknowns, I felt that this event was one of those that reminds me to hug my babies and my husband as tightly as I can for as long as I can. I never know when it will be the last time.
I left work Friday with an intentional attitude. Intentionally focused on the joys of life. Intentionally focused on the beautiful moments, the perfect sounds, and the adorable smiles that are a part of my world.
And so I began to make notes about the things I intentionally noticed...
the voices in my life - the sound of two brothers laughing together and arguing with one another in the span of five minutes time...
a mama bird swooping into the birdhouse to sit on her eggs...
dogs running through the backyard, tongues hanging out and tails wagging as though life couldn't get any better (FYI - life for our dogs can't get any better - they are absolutely spoiled rotten)...
the sound of kid shovels digging in the sandbox and the imaginative conversation that is being had about what they are building...
full bellies after a yummy home-cooked meal...
rose bushes in bloom...
a partner in life who can make the weight of the world lift from my shoulders with one handsome smile...
a partner in life who works hard for his family...
the privilege we have to both have jobs we enjoy...
two functioning cars...
an old, full of character home that sat empty for so long now alive with laughing, bickering, singing, pretending little boys...
a gentle breeze that makes the 81 degree heat with 80+% humidity feel bearable...
blueberry bushes...
piping hot coffee...
father/son time watching a movie, playing in the backyard, and being his shadow as he works around the house on projects...
clean sheets...
polite words from the 4.5 year old to his brother offering to share his toys...
a sweet kiss from a snotty-nosed 2.5 year old...
a game of I-Spy in the car on the way to spend the day in the mountains...
the smell of the early morning fog and mist at 3400 feet above sea level while looking out over the north GA mountains...
the toning of muscles as we hiked a 2 mile trail to see a waterfall...
the silence on the car ride home as two little boys slept...
holding hands with RA...
the warmth of the sun...
a sweet smile and wave from an elderly gentleman eating alone at Waffle House as he noticed our two little boys...
a kind stranger in the grocery store parking lot who saw me with my hands full as I loaded groceries and a child into the car and offered to take the buggy back to the buggy corral for me...
two little boys who snuggled up to me and talked about their day as they were tucked into bed...
the gentle rhythm of the tick-tock mantle clock...
Notice and appreciate the small things in life. Intentionally notice and voice your appreciation for those things.
