Life's Simple Pleasures Abound!

It all started with my 15 month old's first dentist appointment. Now, I know you're wondering how this could be any kind of "pleasure" but it truly was. I got to spend a beautiful day with EG that was full of many "simple pleasures". Usually I don't keep track of such things but today caught my attention for some reason. It all started when I remembered on Friday that her appointment was on Monday and I would need to take the day off to take her. Yay for the fact that I would be able to spend that day at home with EG (and have a long weekend :) ). But, if there was one thing I would change about my job it is the ability to be able to miss work and not have to find a sub and write lesson plans. It takes more work to be out for a day than it does to just be there and work! So, having not remembered her appointment until Friday, I had to frantically find a sub and scribble some lesson plans after school. Come Sunday though, I was very thankful for the day off! Simple pleasure #1...check.

Now on to today...one of my favorite things to do is to sleep late and snuggle with my precious little girl. I got to check that one off first thing this morning. We laid in bed and read stories and watched Jack's Big Music show until it was time for us to get up and get ready for the day. Her appointment wasn't until 10:30 so we had a very lazy morning. This was simple pleasure #2.

Simple pleasure #3:
Living in Alabama, we don't have a lot of the "winter weather" that is experienced in many other parts of the country. And, when we do, it really isn't welcome (unless it shuts down the city and gives all of us a day off...LOL). When it's just plain cold, we mostly just complain. Our local news has been reporting that this week would be the coldest we've had in a long time including lows in the single digits (*gasp*). So as I bundled EG up and got us in the car I was listening to the radio. They were warning drivers to be careful because the morning fog had frozen and caused patches of ice in some places. I have to drive over one of our "mountain" (I put that in quotes as I am sure that for many people, Cecil Ashburn Dr. would hardly be a mountain) roads to get to the dentist so I was already thinking "great". But, lo and behold, as I reached the top of the "mountain" the scenery made me feel like I had been magically transported into a fairy tale like winter wonderland. The trees were sparkling so beautifully and looked like they had been dusted with silver glitter. It was absolutely the most beautiful sight I have seen in a very long time. Usually when we have ice it is thick and heavy and causes branches to droop and power lines to fall. But, this frost in the trees from the frozen fog was simply awe inspiring. A beautiful, sparkling, dusting of frost. Unfortunately I was rushing to the dentist, a little late as usual, and didn't have my camera with me so I couldn't stop to enjoy it more! However, what I was able to see and enjoy as I drove past was wonderful. This day was already getting better.

Simple pleasure #4:
Getting to share yet another milestone with EG; her first dentist appointment. She got to have her little picture made and everything...haha. I easily could have let me husband leave work and take her to the dentist so that I didn't have to take off the whole day (and he certainly would have obliged) but I would have missed out on this "first" and didn't want to do that. Sure she screamed and tried to bite the dentist, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Simple pleasure #5:
Getting to each lunch with my mom and hubby! Obviously, teaching school I don't ever get to go out and eat lunch with anybody so it was nice to eat with them for a change :)

Simple pleasure #6:
Getting a catalog in the mail that I wait for every month...silly, maybe. But, it still made my day a little happier!

The list goes on and on and on but I wont bore you with any more little things that thrilled me today. I simply write all of this to say that I'm sure most days are filled with life's simple pleasures but it is up to us to look for them, recognize, and appreciate them. I don't know what made me be so observant and thankful today but I'm sure glad I was. God has truly blessed my life! Now, I challenge each of you to take the time each day to find the joy in things, even the things that may not seem so joyful at first, and keep track of them. I feel confident that it will make your day a little brighter!