Filled With Joy

Collin and Katy went kayaking today. This picture says it all. Brrrrr! I felt extra joyful when they arrived home dry and without hypothermia. They loved it and talked of the fun they had and beauty of swans, geese, and ducks flying overhead. I’m glad most of my children love adventure and nature as much, or more, than I do.

I made stuffing for dinner yesterday. I loved this stuffing. I had it for lunch and dinner yesterday AND breakfast and lunch today. I have really found some good recipes this year. I enjoy trying new things. I especially enjoyed this recipe. Can you find joy in a food? Yes. We will probably have stuffing more than just Thanksgiving tine. 

Thanksgiving with family! It doesn’t get better than this. I love these people so much. We missed Justin and Kenna, who arrived in Rome safely today. I have so many things to be grateful for. As we visited, ate, and laughed I felt so much joy. There wasn’t any stress today in preparation. It was just a wonderful day of joy.

Collin came home late last night. The snow was increasing and he didn’t want to get stranded somewhere along the highway for Thanksgiving. I had prayed that he would arrive home before the roads became really bad. My prayer was answered, differently than I expected. Today I found joy in an answered prayer and the arrival of this ball of adventure. 

Today it started snowing. Collin is coming home tomorrow. I pray he travels safely. I love watching snow fall. It is so peaceful. Today I sat in the living room and enjoyed my warm house while the snow gently fell to the earth slowly blanketing it in whiteness. It was a peaceful moment. I find joy in those fleeting peaceful moments. Tomorrow the world will look quite different than today. I’ll enjoy while I can. In a few weeks I will be tired of the work that comes with snow.

Today I cleaned the carpet in our house. I rented a new machine that did a fantastic job. Plus, I had a coupon. I vacuum every day but the dog’s hair, and the girls’ hair, still lingers. Also, the carpet gets a lot of walking on. I love clean things. Now I feel I can sit on the floor without worrying about coming up covered in fur. I found joy in a clean floor today.

We finished the Gratitude Tree at the JCC. Each year, while we have served there, the youth have written things they are grateful for. Some are fluff. Others are extremely heartfelt. I love looking them over. The tree is pretty ugly at the beginning. As the grateful leaves are added, the tree becomes more beautiful. I thought about that today. My life can get pretty ugly unless I look at the blessings I have and focus on them. Then I realize how beautiful my life truly is. I am thankful for that lesson today. There is joy in finding our blessings.