Small and wonderful things . . .

 


"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.




It's our Doug's birthday today.  He's 34.  It is hard to believe so many years have passed.  It seems like just yesterday that he was born.   He was such a sweet little boy.   He was mischevious, but always very kind.  He still is a bit of a tease and a very kind man with a huge heart.  I am so very proud of him.  He is a great husband and father and a great son.   He goes out of his way to let me know he loves me and to include me in his life despite the thousands of miles which separate us.  He takes time to go and see his Grandmother (my mother) when he goes over to the Valley to visit his dad.  That means the world to her.  He also takes time to visit his other Grandmother  often and do things for her.  She lives not too far from him.   He's just a very caring individual.  I love him with all of my heart and I hope he has a lovely day today!



I know it isn't a very good photograph, but this is my Grandmaman!  That's my cousin Dave in the photo as well.  He's my Uncle John Paul's youngest son.  I was so excited to find this picture of my grandmother.  I don't have any photos of her and so it really made my day to find this.  She is my father's mother.  We were not really close.  She spoke only French and we spoke only English and we only got to see her when we went to visit in the summer Holidays, which was not very often. I am her name sake.  I also think I am the oldest grandchild.  I used to write her letters when she was alive and I was a young mum. It was not easy to do because I didn't really speak French, but I wanted her to know that I loved her and thought about her even though we had a language barrier and lived far apart.   I got some back from her also, which sadly disappeared.  I wish that I had taken better care of them now.



Also very excited to see this latest photo of our Amanda and her husband Tom and the two children.  it is very rare to see a photo of the whole family together.  Either Tom is taking the photo, or Amanda is.   I love this little family.   They hold a tender place in my heart, as all of my children and grandchildren and sons/daughters in law do.



This is our Amanda with her best friend Shelly.  Amanda and Shelly have been best friends since middle school.  I think they were probably about 12 years old when they met and became friends.   They were always inseparable.   When Amanda left home at 17 she went to live with Shelly and her parents to finish her last year in high school.   I know that her heart had been broken when we moved away from where Shelly lived and so when we went to move yet again, Amanda just did not want to move to yet another school where she would be with strangers.  I completely understood, even though my heart was breaking that she would no longer be at home with us.  But sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them do what is best for them, and it was only fair and right that she spend her last year of high school with her friends.  I knew that Shelly's parents would take good care of her and they did.   Amanda stayed there all through her last year of high school and her whole time at UNB where she was taking nursing.  It makes my heart smile to see that she and Shelly are still very close.  Lifelong friendships are the very best.  I have a few of those and I know how very special they are.

Now I am feeling just a tiny bit sad  . . . oh well  . . .



Finishing up the last of these.  I think I have enough now.  I hope I have enough now, if not I will just have to make some more!

And that's my small and wonderfuls for this week . . .

A thought to carry with you through the day . . .

 (¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´ ¸.•´ (¸.❀⁀⋱‿✿
"We would do well to slow down a little, 
focus on the significant, 
lift up our eyes, 
and truly see the things that matter most."
~ President Dieter F. Uchtdorf .❀⁀⋱‿✿

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Avocado on Sour Dough Toast with Chilli Eggs.  Tasty and healthy too!

May your week ahead be filled with a multitude of small and wonderful things. Don't forget . . .

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And I do too!