Those Sweet Moments

Yesterday was a bit of a drag. It was my day off, but my dear husband was on shift, so it was just the little one and I at home. It was exceedingly dreary - overcast, rainy and cold all day long, squelching my dreams of taking the girl for a jog. You could say my parade was rained on. We only had one brief moment of sunshine and man, was it glorious! I basked in it through the window like a lizard, soaking in it's light and warmth desperately. It soon passed and the rain returned. But it was a sweet moment.

The day was one of what I would consider my unsuccessful ones. The ones where I combat my doldrums, laziness and seeming inability to accomplish anything of substance and also fail to be intentional, create memories or do something fun with my daughter. Either productivity or intentionality would be better than the guilt-inducing, paralyzing blah-ness that seems to take over my life on a lot of my days. In the past, I would have let the regret of yesterday weigh over me and taken it's dreariness with me into my tomorrows, but I really don't want that to be my continual pattern. The truth is that every day, whether we use it well or fall short, is the day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice in it!

So, in keeping with my recent goal (or resolution, shall we say? :)) to celebrate the magic and the mundane and to live in the present, instead of focusing on what did not get done or how I failed, I want to think about the sweet moments.

Just yesterday...

• The sunbeam through the window.
• Jennie falling asleep on my chest as we lay together.
• Wrestling with my sweet girl and hearing her giggle as I tickled her.
• Watching her laugh as I popped out to startle her from behind the doorways. 
• Having her bring me a book, turn around and back up to sit in my lap and read it to her.
• The sweet kisses she kept leaning in to give me.
• Watching her swing some pretty sweet dance moves, complete with rapidly stomping feet and waving arms. 

And recently...

• Last weekend's party, sipping wine and laughing with women from my church.
• Sitting up together with Drew until 12am as he took a test online, taking joy in being able to support him as he pursues his dream.
• Getting Jennie out of bed this morning all fuzzy headed and smiling after sleeping until 7:30!! (Normal wake up time generally ranges from 4:30-6am).
• The coffee and quiet communing Drew and I were able to have this morning due to said late wake-up!
• A brief car ride (just the two of us) to connect with my Dad who was in town ever-so-briefly.
• A phone call from a friend I rarely speak to going out of their way to check on me and encourage me.
• Correspondence from another friend, providing the vehicle for deeper conversation than we've had in a while.

And soon to come...

• Tomorrow night - a much needed and highly anticipated date night! Perhaps we should take some inspiration from some friends, who to have some of the most fun and creative dates.  I'll let you know how it goes.
• Saturday - meeting up with not one, but two girl friends to catch up!
• Sunday - first time at church in several weeks! I cannot wait for some much needed fellowship and spiritual feeding.

My great-grandmother and my daughter's namesake claimed Psalm 118:24 as her life verse. Perhaps I can learn from her legacy and begin to live the way she did, treasuring each day and the sweet moments they contain.

"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." Ps. 118:24