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.

A partner in life who loves me and appreciates me for "me." Who shares my values and appreciates my opinions, even if they are sometimes different than his.  Who will eat pasta when its not his favourite thing to eat because he knows it is one of my favourite things to eat.  Who values all that I do and isn't afraid to show me that he does.  Who thinks about me when he is away from me and always texts me to tell me that he is thinking about me, and loving me. Who treats me as his equal. Who honors and respects me.  Who buys me roses and pizza for Mother's day because he loves me and He knows I love pizza. Who believes in me. Who is proud of me. Who supports me in all my endeavours and believes in my dreams. Who holds my hand in church, and out of church and everywhere we go. Who. Cares. About. For. With. Me.  I love him.  Today is his last radio-therapy appointment. God willing he will not have to have any more treatments, and the radiation will have done its thing.  I was so dreading March and so was he.  It has not been as bad as we were dreading.  Things seldom are.  We are blessed. ☺

I came across this photograph of our Eileen the other day. I think she was about 14 months old. What a little doll she was. Oh how very much I love her.  She is my oldest daughter and we talk literally every single day. When I was a little girl myself,  I dreamed of one day having a little girl of my own.  She would have blonde hair and brown eyes and I would call her Honey.  Well, I had the little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes.  We did not call her honey, but after my ex's army regiment.  It did not matter to me. I had my little girl.  Oh, I loved my son very much also, no worries there, but I could not put barrettes in his hair and dress him in pretty hand smocked dresses. There is something special about sons, but there is something very special about daughters. I think the Mother/Daughter bond is very unique.  I am so grateful that I have a special relationship with this girl of mine.  It is truly a gift and a blessing to me.

This is my other girl in action.  Amanda.  At the recent Canadian Ultimate Games in Ottawa. I stole the photo from her FB page.  She is a true athlete. They came first in Canada.  I am so proud of her. Wife, Mother, Nurse, Athlete . . .  She does them all and she does them well.  

The springtime morning chorus which brightens my mornings.  They have already begun most days when I open my eyes.  I love the song they sing. It puts an extra spring into my step, no pun intended. Springtime in England is particularly beautiful. I love the bird song, and all the flowers that are coming into bloom.  The bumble bee.  The blue skies and the increasingly warmer and brighter sunlight. They cheer my heart. I feel so blessed in Springtime and I thank God for all that He has given us and then I stop in wonder at the thought that all that we see here and now is only a pale imitation of what awaits us on the other side.  Eye can see, nor ear hear, nor heart imagine the beauty of what awaits us. And all because He loves us.

Of all the roles in life I have played, being a wife and mother has been my most satisfying. Its also been the most painful but we won't go there!  I have loved being a wife.  I must have done to do it three times.  I like to think that with each time I got better, lol.  No regrets.  I love my children all so very much.  I am proud of each of them in individual ways.  They are all winners in my books. Decent. Hardworking. Honest. Great parents. Great spouses. I must have done something right along the way. I wish only happiness for them.

Sunday phone calls with mom.  They are such a blessing and they bring such a smile to my face and my heart. You should have heard us yesterday. Mom's memory is not what it used to be, and mine isn't great either!  She will be talking about something and want to put someone's name into whatever it is she is talking about, and I am trying to help by filling in the blanks, and then we are both trying to think of the name of something which we should both remember but can't. I hate it when you can see something, the name or word is right on the tip of your tongue, but you can't spit it out for some reason! Nowadays I seem to forget what I am saying halfway through a sentence.  I am not sure if I should be afraid of that, or if it is normal.  What say you?  Anyways, I laugh at our conversations together.  If anyone on the outside was listening in they would wonder what we are talking about, but it doesn't matter because WE know what we are talking about, lol, at least I think we do!

Dreams that are coming true and while my parents are both still alive to see them come into fruition. I can die happy now.  Just the intro to write now and it is done and dusted.  Whew!  I expect there will be some revising once the Editor gets cracking on his side.  I have my fingers crossed that there are not too many!

A thought to carry with you  . . .

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°. . 
˛*If you stumble,
   make it a part of the dance.
    ~Unknown    •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  French Beef Au Jus.

I hope the week ahead of you is filled to overflowing with small and wonderful things. Along the way don't forget . . .


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And I do too!