What makes me happy

I came across a new blog this week, and sweet Erin made me smile. She is the little sister of Nat and I have loved having her as a kind of 'two for one' friend. One of her past posts was entitled "What makes me happy." I was encouraged to sit back and think about this. Because we allll know what makes me unhappy. Admittedly, I dwell a little too much in glass half empty land. So in an effort to retrain my cynical little brain to 'accentuate the positive' (sorry, I couldn't resist), I decided to steal Erin's blog for the day. And as we recall, every one who blogs loves a list post- so much less brain power.

Today, September 14th, the things that make me happy

• the little girl in the next room who is napping. naps make me very happy, even if they are not my own, sometimes especially if they are not my own.
• that same little, dainty girl who, at Mass Sunday during the quiet part of Eucharistic prayers, tooted so so loudly and for so long. Call me an 11-year-old boy but that was so funny.
• the new jeans that my friend Rachel gifted me. They are a size bigger than usual but I love 2 new pair of free Joe's jeans no matter what size they are
• when my husband looks at me and says 'babe, you look great!'
• garage sales
• Kashi go lean cereal bars
• diet coke- though I'm trying to quit so look forward to a post about what doesn't make me happy
• 4-5 hour sleep stretches
• phone conversations with old friends
• when my kid smiles at me so big that her eyes are squinting
• play dates with encouraging moms and spunky kids
• 6:30 pm when dad comes home and takes baby and dog for a run
• jogging strollers gifted from generous friends to make my hour of heaven possible
• reading blogs
• reading a good book
• the ocean- oh how healing and soothing the beach will always be to me!
• feeling productive, being busy
• Mass at the Gift of Grace- so small but so intimate, being known and loved by the sisters
• seeing my daughter curl up on her dad's chest, clutch his shirt collar and be so content
• eating Mexican with my mom
• meeting with small groups of younger women, being inspired by them
• Praise and worship music (or as R calls it 'the loaf')
• feeling in shape (not currently but soon!!)
• thunderstorms, especially at the beach or in the middle of the day, esp with a book in hand
• smocked dresses
• rocking chairs
• fall weather in the south
• sugar-brownies, candy, ice cream, cake- you name it, I love it
• surprises-like the edible arrangement my sister sent 'just because'
• Savannah, Tybee, mass and supper with my grandma, shopping with mom and katie-just being home

these folks also make me happy

go gamecocks???!! Lord help my fall Saturdays

          the 2010 Tyler family babies

the back river of tybee