I love Sunday. It really is my favorite day of the week. Saturday is wonderful, but there is always some aspect of running around involved in it. Sunday is the day to relax and be with my family and friends.
Today Jason had to work a couple hours :(...but Bailey and I met up with our friends the Casey's and went to the Children's Museum in Boston. We have a family membership, so we are constantly inviting friends with kids to come with us. We love going, and it allows our friends to bring their children at no cost.
The kids had such an awesome time. The most fun B had was in the water room..she splashed so much with so much joy that she even soaked me! It was a blast.
The museum was a wonderful time, but the fun had there isn't the complete story of the joy today. The joy was in being able to share and give to our friends. We bought this membership as a family and love to use it, and it brought me so much joy to share it with friends so they could have a fun family time as well.
Bailey loves sharing with people, and it's so easy to see why. To share with those we love really is a gift to ourselves. The community of people we share our lives with are important to us. To share with them is a gift to us just as it is to them.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A dinner with my husband
Tonight...my Mother In Law watched Bailey...Jason and I had dinner just the two of us. It was awesome.
It was just a couple hours, but I got to sit down with my husband and have dinner and truly focus on being with him. I miss it when having that time was so easy, so it was glorious to have it tonight.
My joy today was in having time to spend with my husband. A wonderful meal, great conversation, and time to spend paying attention to nothing but the man I love. It doesn't get much better than that.
It was just a couple hours, but I got to sit down with my husband and have dinner and truly focus on being with him. I miss it when having that time was so easy, so it was glorious to have it tonight.
My joy today was in having time to spend with my husband. A wonderful meal, great conversation, and time to spend paying attention to nothing but the man I love. It doesn't get much better than that.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Almost forgot!
Phew...I almost forgot to post today...but that doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about WHAT to post today as the day went on.
A lot of my joy comes from my daughter. As I am sure it does for just about every parent. Tonight before putting her to bed my husband and I played with her. She was laughing hysterically..full on belly laughs. She was just having so much fun, and so were we. I commented to my husband that her laugh was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
Again, the joy comes from a simple yet amazing thing. Joy doesn't have to come from spending money, it can be a simple thing that was completely free. I will never stop feeling joy when I hear my little girl laugh.
A lot of my joy comes from my daughter. As I am sure it does for just about every parent. Tonight before putting her to bed my husband and I played with her. She was laughing hysterically..full on belly laughs. She was just having so much fun, and so were we. I commented to my husband that her laugh was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
Again, the joy comes from a simple yet amazing thing. Joy doesn't have to come from spending money, it can be a simple thing that was completely free. I will never stop feeling joy when I hear my little girl laugh.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Shake what your Mama gave you
B loves to dance. I often have dance parties with her, and they are great. At 14 months old they are a blast for her...and me.
Today I had a 1/2 day from work because she was sent home from school yesterday with a fever. We had a nice afternoon, and I switched on Toddler Tunes on cable. I walked out to the living room to see her busting a move. She reached for me and we danced together and had a blast. Baby giggles abound!!
Dancing with my daughter brings me insane amounts of joy. It is such an easy and simple thing to do with her, and we both have so much fun doing it. I have a feeling that these dance parties will be a wonderful thing to have together, and will create wonderful memories for us both as she grows up. :)
Today I had a 1/2 day from work because she was sent home from school yesterday with a fever. We had a nice afternoon, and I switched on Toddler Tunes on cable. I walked out to the living room to see her busting a move. She reached for me and we danced together and had a blast. Baby giggles abound!!
Dancing with my daughter brings me insane amounts of joy. It is such an easy and simple thing to do with her, and we both have so much fun doing it. I have a feeling that these dance parties will be a wonderful thing to have together, and will create wonderful memories for us both as she grows up. :)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Joy all around me today
Today is such an easy day for me to find the joy in. It's my birthday :)
I am well past the age where I want big parties etc to celebrate. I am just happy to enjoy a dinner with my husband tonight (he even found a sitter for B!), and think about the year that has gone by...and quite a bit has gone by in the last year. It's been a year of so many changes for me, and it's nice to sit back and be happy for what I have and what's to come.
But..even with all that..my biggest joy today is the joy I get from my friends and family around me. Facebook is a wonderful way to keep in touch with people, and get birthday wishes. I get a text to my cell when someone posts on my "wall", and so far today my phone has gotten lots of texts. My friends and family wishing me a happy birthday, a wonderful year, blessings, and hugs. It's pretty awesome to have a day in your life when the people around you wish you well and are happy you are here. It really makes my heart swell and just gives me a feeling of peace and joy.
So today my joy is in the people that love me telling me so. It's important to tell the people you love that you do in fact LOVE them. It's so easy to not do it, but it's so much better to do it. While James Taylor writes some pretty cheesy stuff (says the girl who paid to see him in concert), it's right. "Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel."
I am well past the age where I want big parties etc to celebrate. I am just happy to enjoy a dinner with my husband tonight (he even found a sitter for B!), and think about the year that has gone by...and quite a bit has gone by in the last year. It's been a year of so many changes for me, and it's nice to sit back and be happy for what I have and what's to come.
But..even with all that..my biggest joy today is the joy I get from my friends and family around me. Facebook is a wonderful way to keep in touch with people, and get birthday wishes. I get a text to my cell when someone posts on my "wall", and so far today my phone has gotten lots of texts. My friends and family wishing me a happy birthday, a wonderful year, blessings, and hugs. It's pretty awesome to have a day in your life when the people around you wish you well and are happy you are here. It really makes my heart swell and just gives me a feeling of peace and joy.
So today my joy is in the people that love me telling me so. It's important to tell the people you love that you do in fact LOVE them. It's so easy to not do it, but it's so much better to do it. While James Taylor writes some pretty cheesy stuff (says the girl who paid to see him in concert), it's right. "Shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel."
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The smells of spring
So yesterday I wrote of my longing for spring...today I did something about it.
Lunch came today and I wanted something leisurely to do. So I drove to Target :) I love that store so much. I went through the clearance racks to see if I could find something for B, wandered around, and just enjoyed the break from the office.
Then I came across the air freshener section. I looked at it, and decided my office could use some pretty smells to just enhance my days. I picked a reed diffuser in the scent of willow blossom. It is supposed to last for 60 days...in 60 days it "should" be spring!! It was the perfect treat myself thing to do...and it was on sale ;)
So now my office smells like pretty flowers, and something about that just calms me. It is such a simple thing, but it brings me hope that spring is close..and it will be awesome. This little thing will bring me joy for many days (at least 60!) and make this desk I spend 8 hours a day at a little more pleasant.
So I will soak in the smell, knowing that as the oil in the diffuser goes down it just brings me closer to spring time. In the meantime I will take what I can get and smile :)
Lunch came today and I wanted something leisurely to do. So I drove to Target :) I love that store so much. I went through the clearance racks to see if I could find something for B, wandered around, and just enjoyed the break from the office.
Then I came across the air freshener section. I looked at it, and decided my office could use some pretty smells to just enhance my days. I picked a reed diffuser in the scent of willow blossom. It is supposed to last for 60 days...in 60 days it "should" be spring!! It was the perfect treat myself thing to do...and it was on sale ;)
So now my office smells like pretty flowers, and something about that just calms me. It is such a simple thing, but it brings me hope that spring is close..and it will be awesome. This little thing will bring me joy for many days (at least 60!) and make this desk I spend 8 hours a day at a little more pleasant.
So I will soak in the smell, knowing that as the oil in the diffuser goes down it just brings me closer to spring time. In the meantime I will take what I can get and smile :)
Monday, February 22, 2010
It's exhausting today
Wow...I did not go to bed at a smart time last night. Since I got to sleep in I had such a nice day...and stayed up until 11:30...on a work night! Whoops. It was great when I was younger and single. I could pull that off. But today I am a walking zombie.
It seems that this time of year can be a tough time for people to seek out their joy. We are tired, we have our bills from the holidays, and we have had enough of the dark winter weather. I don't know about anyone else, but I NEED spring to get here. I need to be able to go outside and play with B. To just take a walk at lunch alone...spring needs to get here!!
But...I am here to find the joy in today. That in itself is a blessing. On a day where I want to just be a grump because I am tired, it's cold, and the weather for the rest of the week is gross to put it politely...it's pretty awesome to have my mind be focusing on the joy I can find today. It's what makes me so happy I decided to do this blog for Lent. It is changing my perspective, even when it would be easy to just be a grump.
So my joy for today, is the cozy of my office at work. I get a lot of sunlight through the window in my office, so I shut the door and let the cozy fill me up each day. While it might not be the smartest idea when I am so tired, it really is nice. It makes a Monday a little bit better ;). Today is going to be the nicest day of the week, and by letting the sunshine in my office to wrap me in it's rays..I get to enjoy it.
So enjoy today. Through your exhaustion, through whatever troubles you have, find something to be joyful about. It will turn your day around in more ways than you could imagine. For now...I'm going to enjoy the sunshine that we have just for today :)
It seems that this time of year can be a tough time for people to seek out their joy. We are tired, we have our bills from the holidays, and we have had enough of the dark winter weather. I don't know about anyone else, but I NEED spring to get here. I need to be able to go outside and play with B. To just take a walk at lunch alone...spring needs to get here!!
But...I am here to find the joy in today. That in itself is a blessing. On a day where I want to just be a grump because I am tired, it's cold, and the weather for the rest of the week is gross to put it politely...it's pretty awesome to have my mind be focusing on the joy I can find today. It's what makes me so happy I decided to do this blog for Lent. It is changing my perspective, even when it would be easy to just be a grump.
So my joy for today, is the cozy of my office at work. I get a lot of sunlight through the window in my office, so I shut the door and let the cozy fill me up each day. While it might not be the smartest idea when I am so tired, it really is nice. It makes a Monday a little bit better ;). Today is going to be the nicest day of the week, and by letting the sunshine in my office to wrap me in it's rays..I get to enjoy it.
So enjoy today. Through your exhaustion, through whatever troubles you have, find something to be joyful about. It will turn your day around in more ways than you could imagine. For now...I'm going to enjoy the sunshine that we have just for today :)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Ahhh...Sunday
You know, as today started I thought my joy for today was going to be that my husband let me sleep in. He took care of B this morning and I was able to sleep until 9AM!! It was amazing. After we just had a bit of a lazy Sunday. B took another nap on me, and we watched some of the Olympics. All in all it was a good day.
However, my joy for the day was two visitors we had. Jason's sister came to visit, and it was fun to sit with her for a little bit. B loved it and was a total goof, which is always fun to watch. Then after that we met my Mom for dinner. Good food and great company.
So today the joy was in the people around me. My husband letting me sleep in, visitors coming to the house, and all in all having a truly nice Sunday. It really was a good day :)
However, my joy for the day was two visitors we had. Jason's sister came to visit, and it was fun to sit with her for a little bit. B loved it and was a total goof, which is always fun to watch. Then after that we met my Mom for dinner. Good food and great company.
So today the joy was in the people around me. My husband letting me sleep in, visitors coming to the house, and all in all having a truly nice Sunday. It really was a good day :)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saturday is awesome
It's Saturday...it's a great day of the week for many reasons. One of which is that I get some alone time with B. My husband has to work until 2:00 each Saturday, so once B gets up it's she and I for a while. There is something great about having some play time just us, and as she grows the things we can do together with this weekly time.
Today B was tired because she woke up earlier than she should have this morning. After some playing and a snack, she was falling asleep in her high chair. I picked her out of it, and we cuddled in the recliner. She fell asleep on me for about 45 minutes. I watched some TV, and cuddled with my sleeping daughter.
As she gets older those moments won't be as frequent, so I love them every time I get them. It was by far the highlight of my Saturday :)
Today B was tired because she woke up earlier than she should have this morning. After some playing and a snack, she was falling asleep in her high chair. I picked her out of it, and we cuddled in the recliner. She fell asleep on me for about 45 minutes. I watched some TV, and cuddled with my sleeping daughter.
As she gets older those moments won't be as frequent, so I love them every time I get them. It was by far the highlight of my Saturday :)
Friday, February 19, 2010
The joy to come
So my joy of today...hasn't happened yet. But...I know exactly when it will :)
The moment I'm writing about today happens a lot in the week, but it most certainly deserves a blog entry. It is the moment my daughter sees me when I come to pick her up from daycare.
B goes to daycare 5 days a week, and she loves it there. We are very blessed to have found a facility that is nothing short of amazing. It is so good for her, and we know we are doing wonderful things for her by sending her there.
I pick her up between 4:45 and 5:00. No matter what she is doing, when she sees me, she stops. A huge smile comes over her face and she runs over to be picked up for a hug and a kiss. I have never felt so loved as I do in that moment each day. Sometimes she is in a big pink princess dress playing dress up, sometimes she's in a tunnel crawling around, it just doesn't matter. No matter how much fun she is having at that moment, I am more important to her.
I know it won't always be this way when she sees me, so for now I am going to soak it all in and love every second of it. She's 14 months old, and Mommy and Daddy are the light of her life..just as she is to us.
So my moment of joy is coming in a couple hours. I will see my daughter excited for nothing else than to see me. The world will stop for her, and it will for me as well. If I could truly give it justice with a description I would...the only way to really describe it is with one word. Awesome.
The moment I'm writing about today happens a lot in the week, but it most certainly deserves a blog entry. It is the moment my daughter sees me when I come to pick her up from daycare.
B goes to daycare 5 days a week, and she loves it there. We are very blessed to have found a facility that is nothing short of amazing. It is so good for her, and we know we are doing wonderful things for her by sending her there.
I pick her up between 4:45 and 5:00. No matter what she is doing, when she sees me, she stops. A huge smile comes over her face and she runs over to be picked up for a hug and a kiss. I have never felt so loved as I do in that moment each day. Sometimes she is in a big pink princess dress playing dress up, sometimes she's in a tunnel crawling around, it just doesn't matter. No matter how much fun she is having at that moment, I am more important to her.
I know it won't always be this way when she sees me, so for now I am going to soak it all in and love every second of it. She's 14 months old, and Mommy and Daddy are the light of her life..just as she is to us.
So my moment of joy is coming in a couple hours. I will see my daughter excited for nothing else than to see me. The world will stop for her, and it will for me as well. If I could truly give it justice with a description I would...the only way to really describe it is with one word. Awesome.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Warmth
Today was a pretty easy one to write about. What is most definately bringing me joy today is feelings of warmth in the little things around me. When I have moments like this it just brings me comfort and peace. I find myself settling myself with a sigh and being quite content in the moment.
The first of those moments was a warm cup of tea this morning. Yesterday I went to Target and bought a small box of tea for $1. I was getting tea at Dunks, so I did this so I could still have my morning cup. What a savings that was...16 bags of tea for less than a single cup at Dunks. I made the cup, and the warmth was just awesome. There is something about a warm cup of tea that is just amazing. It has the ability to make the world slow down for me.
The other moment I had today was when my first dance song with my husband came on my Ipod. Yesterday I was speaking with some girlfriends about our first dance songs and how we picked them. Our first dance song was "My Love I Will" by Alice Peacock. "Until the day the planets all stand still, my love I will".
We picked it after seeing a very intimate show by Alice Peacock. We were going to use another of her songs, but after hearing her tell the story of this song we knew this was it. She wrote it just days after meeting her husband. It spoke to us in so many ways and truly spoke of our love for each other in the way we wanted our song to. We loved her stuff so much that we picked another one of her songs for our last dance: If You Could Only See Your Eyes.
Three weeks before our wedding we were lucky enough to be able to go to another small show of hers (since she isn't well known most of her shows around here are small..it's amazing). I had requested "My Love I Will" through her myspace and told her how we were using it for our first dance and using "If You Could Only See Your Eyes" as our last dance. She played "My Love I Will" in the middle of her show, and it was beautiful. Then to close her show she played "If You Could Only See Your Eyes" and dedicated it to us. What an amazing moment and gift to have.
Hearing our first dance song is something that just makes the world stop. It will always bring me back to that moment where I looked into my husband's eyes and it was just us, and we were married. We had just had our wedding mass, and we were beginning to live our sacrament. That was our moment in that glorious day, and it was perfect.
2+ years later and I still look at my wedding ring set in amazement. What a gift my marriage is, what a gift my family is! In the midst of any craziness I will always have that joy and peace. It is the best kind of moment there is.
So grab a cup of your favorite soothing drink, turn on the tunes, and love the day.
:)
http://www.alicepeacock.com/
The first of those moments was a warm cup of tea this morning. Yesterday I went to Target and bought a small box of tea for $1. I was getting tea at Dunks, so I did this so I could still have my morning cup. What a savings that was...16 bags of tea for less than a single cup at Dunks. I made the cup, and the warmth was just awesome. There is something about a warm cup of tea that is just amazing. It has the ability to make the world slow down for me.
The other moment I had today was when my first dance song with my husband came on my Ipod. Yesterday I was speaking with some girlfriends about our first dance songs and how we picked them. Our first dance song was "My Love I Will" by Alice Peacock. "Until the day the planets all stand still, my love I will".
We picked it after seeing a very intimate show by Alice Peacock. We were going to use another of her songs, but after hearing her tell the story of this song we knew this was it. She wrote it just days after meeting her husband. It spoke to us in so many ways and truly spoke of our love for each other in the way we wanted our song to. We loved her stuff so much that we picked another one of her songs for our last dance: If You Could Only See Your Eyes.
Three weeks before our wedding we were lucky enough to be able to go to another small show of hers (since she isn't well known most of her shows around here are small..it's amazing). I had requested "My Love I Will" through her myspace and told her how we were using it for our first dance and using "If You Could Only See Your Eyes" as our last dance. She played "My Love I Will" in the middle of her show, and it was beautiful. Then to close her show she played "If You Could Only See Your Eyes" and dedicated it to us. What an amazing moment and gift to have.
Hearing our first dance song is something that just makes the world stop. It will always bring me back to that moment where I looked into my husband's eyes and it was just us, and we were married. We had just had our wedding mass, and we were beginning to live our sacrament. That was our moment in that glorious day, and it was perfect.
2+ years later and I still look at my wedding ring set in amazement. What a gift my marriage is, what a gift my family is! In the midst of any craziness I will always have that joy and peace. It is the best kind of moment there is.
So grab a cup of your favorite soothing drink, turn on the tunes, and love the day.
:)
http://www.alicepeacock.com/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
And So It Begins
Goodness...what a day to start Lent!! Today would have been the typical day I would have "needed" to go to Dunks...just for the comfort of the donut. It was a crazy morning and I would have been craving that comfort food.
B took a tumble down some of the stairs at home today, and gave herself a gash over her right eye. She seemed to be OK, but better safe than sorry..so the day started with a visit to her Dr. to get her all checked out. Clean bill of health and no stitches needed and B was on her merry way. Laughing and smiling the whole time. We are blessed to have such a happy little girl.
Work has been busy with lots of random things popping up that need attention, so attention they get.
So today what brings me joy is the fact that Lent is a time of renewal. Before giving up Dunks for Lent I would have been all about getting something from there to comfort me, but since I gave it up for Lent I refused to let myself go. I gave it up for something greater than myself, and I can't falter before day one is even over!
With all of that, my sense of joy is in that I am succeeding and the sense of renewal I have in the process. It would be so easy to cave and justify it. But I am making the choice not to, and it will be great in the long run. It's what giving up Dunks was all about for me.
Joy in the renewal ahead for me, that is my joy for today. That and no stitches or head injuries ;)
B took a tumble down some of the stairs at home today, and gave herself a gash over her right eye. She seemed to be OK, but better safe than sorry..so the day started with a visit to her Dr. to get her all checked out. Clean bill of health and no stitches needed and B was on her merry way. Laughing and smiling the whole time. We are blessed to have such a happy little girl.
Work has been busy with lots of random things popping up that need attention, so attention they get.
So today what brings me joy is the fact that Lent is a time of renewal. Before giving up Dunks for Lent I would have been all about getting something from there to comfort me, but since I gave it up for Lent I refused to let myself go. I gave it up for something greater than myself, and I can't falter before day one is even over!
With all of that, my sense of joy is in that I am succeeding and the sense of renewal I have in the process. It would be so easy to cave and justify it. But I am making the choice not to, and it will be great in the long run. It's what giving up Dunks was all about for me.
Joy in the renewal ahead for me, that is my joy for today. That and no stitches or head injuries ;)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
My Lenten Journey
It's Fat Tuesday...that seems to fit in so many ways!!
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and I am really excited for Lent this year. The last year has been filled with many ups and downs, and I am viewing this Lenten season as a time of renewal for myself.
I have decided to do two things for Lent this year. The first is to give up all things Dunkin Donuts. I go there far too much, spend money I shouldn't, and eat things that my body just doesn't need. My thought is that by giving it up for Lent I will truly hold myself accountable to it, and quit the habit I have failed to quit so many times in the last year. It will be a good thing for my wallet, and my waist line.
The second thing I am doing is the reason for this blog. I wanted to keep a journal/blog for every day of Lent. I want to write down at least one thing I found joy in that day. I always try to look on the positive side of things, but some days are just bad days. We all have them! My goal for Lent is to find joy in every day, and record it. I feel that it will help me to always focus on the joy in my life and find it in places I might not have noticed before. God wants us to be joy filled, and this is just my way of truly paying attention to the joy and the gifts.
So I hope you enjoy what you read, and that maybe it will help you to find your joy in every day as well. Here is an article to look at in case you haven't found your Lenten observance yet...I hope you enjoy it.
http://www.spirituality.org/is/032/page06.asp
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and I am really excited for Lent this year. The last year has been filled with many ups and downs, and I am viewing this Lenten season as a time of renewal for myself.
I have decided to do two things for Lent this year. The first is to give up all things Dunkin Donuts. I go there far too much, spend money I shouldn't, and eat things that my body just doesn't need. My thought is that by giving it up for Lent I will truly hold myself accountable to it, and quit the habit I have failed to quit so many times in the last year. It will be a good thing for my wallet, and my waist line.
The second thing I am doing is the reason for this blog. I wanted to keep a journal/blog for every day of Lent. I want to write down at least one thing I found joy in that day. I always try to look on the positive side of things, but some days are just bad days. We all have them! My goal for Lent is to find joy in every day, and record it. I feel that it will help me to always focus on the joy in my life and find it in places I might not have noticed before. God wants us to be joy filled, and this is just my way of truly paying attention to the joy and the gifts.
So I hope you enjoy what you read, and that maybe it will help you to find your joy in every day as well. Here is an article to look at in case you haven't found your Lenten observance yet...I hope you enjoy it.
http://www.spirituality.org/is/032/page06.asp
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