Day 12: Undecided

So, some days I struggle to decide what to post about because, while I've been experiencing multiple Joyful Moments every day, sometimes they just don't seem very noteworthy, or interesting enough to be shared.

And other days, I have several that (to me at least) are wonderful and profound.

Today was one of those days.

Of course, joy is in the eye of the beholder, or the heart of the holder, or something like that. So, having said that, maybe what I'm about to share won't seem like a very big deal at all.

But I've decided which one I'm going to share, so here it is:

On Monday nights we have Family Home Evening, where we share time together with songs, a lesson, treats, and a game (when there's time). We just started using a manual produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for our lessons. You can view it here. It's written and geared for teaching children between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, so it's very simple and basic. Perfect for our small children, especially since they both take turns teaching the lesson.

Tonight was Little M's first turn teaching a lesson from this manual. I, of course, helped him quite a bit, but he did a fantastic job. And it was really sweet to listen to him talk to us about Heavenly Father's plan for our happiness. And then to hear him sing the song, "I am a Child of God". And then to really make my Joyful Moment full of joy, he bore a sweet little testimony at the end of Heavenly Father's plan and eternal families.

And it was just a wonderful Moment.

Day 11: Maybe Not My Best Friend

So, I'd like to say that HH commandeering my computer when I sat down to post this and instead looking for a way to watch the Super Bowl online (we don't get TV) was my Joyful Moment.

But it wasn't.

The Moment I'd like to share from today is actually from my dog. She's a sweet little mutt we rescued from the shelter. Except she's not really little. And she just keeps on getting bigger. But she is sweet. And she doesn't get near the amount of attention she needs and thinks she deserves.

So, I try. Today while everyone else was napping, I sat down and just rubbed her belly for a while. She loves this. I don't really, but watching how happy it made her still brought me joy. It's amazing how making someone else happy--even if that someone else is a dog--is such a surefire way to create joy in life.

So, here's wishing you all service-related Joyful Moments!

Day 10: The Tiniest of Moments

So, at my most recent check up my doctor asked if I fee the baby move a lot. I told her that I notice movement, but not as much as with the other two. Then I added that I'm sure that is because I have the other two to keep me busy and preoccupied now. And I thought we'd leave it at that. I wasn't telling her any of this because I was concerned, I was just answering her question. I am positive my baby is more active than I realize and the fact that I do feel him move occasionally, despite our busy life reassures me completely.

But my doctor wasn't completely reassured. She wants me to be checking for five movements every hour. Seriously?

So, today I decided to be more attentive to this little one growing inside me. And that is where today's Joyful Moment came. It was actually several Joyful Moments. Little tiny moments. I don't know if he was way more active today, or if it was simply that I was trying to paying more attention. But I felt him a lot. And there's something about it that's just cute. I don't know how else to describe it. Just these little tiny bumps and taps from little tiny feet and fists.

And then another Joyful Moment came when I got to share that fun with Sweet P and Little M at dinner. He started really rolling around in there so they could see the movement just by looking at my tummy. That was pretty amazing to both of them. And then, of course, they wanted to feel him moving too. He almost always stops moving around as soon as they put their hands on my belly, but tonight he kept up the acrobatics. And they LOVED it.

Wishing you all tiny, yet profound Joyful Moments!

Day 9: Cutie Pies

Today provided a plethora of Joyful Moments, pretty much all due to my sweet little children.

We were snowed in and I didn't sleep well, so I was worried it would be a really bad day. Fortunately, it wasn't.

I had a Joyful Moment watching them play in the snow together--all the more joyful because they can play in our backyard and I don't have to go out with them. I try to be a good mom, but I HATE the cold. Plus, I'm not sure my snow coat would zip over my belly any more.

I had several Joyful Moments making donuts with my kids and revisiting memories of doing the same thing with my mother and siblings.

And I also had several Joyful Moments listening to their excitement for their "dates" tonight. Our gym was hosting a "Daddy Daughter Dance" tonight for HH and Sweet P, so Little M and I decided to have a date night of our own. He wanted to eat donuts and watch a movie. That's why we made the donuts.

Both kids were SO excited all day and it was so much fun for me to listen to. Then I got to help Sweet P get ready for her big date and see how thrilled she was at the prospect. Little M and I had a great time enjoying our donuts and snuggling during 1 1/2 movies (the first was a very short one about fire trucks--his current obsession). He was so pleased that I was sitting right there beside him to watch. He kept talking about it all through the movies. Very Joyful for me.

And then I got to hear all about Sweet P's night out with Daddy when they got home about 30 minutes ago. She was just beaming about the whole event--especially the rose she got. And the fact that everyone kept telling her how beautiful she looked.

And so, the day that had great potential for being perfectly awful turned out perfectly perfect. Wishing you all a perfectly perfect day. Or at least a perfectly perfect Joyful Moment. And some sleep for Yours Truly. I'm exhausted!

Day 8: Time Out

For love, that is.

But first, I can't believe I didn't realize last night that that post marked the one week point for me. Wow. Seriously, I cannot believe the difference this challenge has made in my life in such a short time. I went from not being able to find a single Joyful Moment in an entire day of my life to having a difficult time choosing which moment to share.

If you haven't already jumped on the daily Joyful Moment bandwagon, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, back to today's Joyful Moment and my time out for love.

I was planning on sharing a moment that happened while talking to a stranger at the gym this morning, but then I had a Moment that trumped that one as I was putting dinner away tonight.

From the moment HH walks in the door in the evenings he's always trying to hug me and snuggle me, or engage in some sort of physical interaction. I pretty much always give him the brush off. I'm usually in the middle of getting dinner on the table. Then we go straight to dinner, then clean up, then get the kids ready for bed and in bed, and then I might be ready for a hug, or whatever.

I'm not trying to be inconsiderate of him, I just have a go go go mentality and his touches interrupt my momentum.

So, tonight I was putting dinner away and he was helping, but then he came up and tried to hug me. Initially, I shrugged him off. But because this Joyful Moment plan is helping me to live in the moment a lot more (more better, as Little M would put it), I thought better of it. I set the Tupperware down, turned around, and engaged him in a nice, long, passionate kiss.

Definitely a Joyful Moment. And it was fun!

I just might have to give into his advances more often.

So here's wishing you all a reckless moment of joyful fun today.

Day 7: Tough Choice

Well, today was a pretty good day. If I'm being totally honest. And I am.

So, there were a lot of moments to choose from. But I think my favorite was chatting with my mom for a bit while making dinner (a joy in itself--shrimp fondue, homemade French bread, and Alfredo pasta, and veggies, of course!). I just love talking to my mom. We never run out of things to say and even on a great day like today, I just feel better when we say 'good bye'. Not because we're saying 'good bye', but because she's just that kind of person. That's why everyone loves her.

She's been the source of many of my Joyful Moments. Thanks for being my Joyful Moment again today, Mom. I love you.

Day 6: Birthdays!

So, in addition to being Groundhog's Day, today is also the birthday of two very special people in my life.

One is my friend Gus. She has been like family to me for as long as I can remember. Growing up I enjoyed sleepovers at her home where she and her husband treated me like a princess and always made me feel very special. We shared a love for animals. I remember her letting me help her brush their German Shepherd. He was about the same size as me, so I'm sure I was more of a bother than a help, but she never made me feel that way. I just have a basket full of wonderful memories when I think of them.

And now that I'm a little older, we've been able to renew that friendship and she continues to bless my life. She seems to have information on just about every topic I'm really curious about, but never make time to research. Most recently, she sent me a prenatal yoga DVD that had a huge impact on helping me change to a more peaceful and

positive outlook as these pregnancy hormones got to me. Without that, this new version of the blog probably wouldn't have been made.

So, with today being her birthday, my thoughts are on her and those wonderful memories. And who can help but to feel joy when thinking of a fabulous friend?

And the other person is my dad.

I love watching him as a grandpa to my kids. He is so patient. And fun. They ADORE him.

So do I. That's why thoughts of him always bring me Joyful Moments.

He has taught me so much about everything that is important in my life. He teaches me about my Savior and His gospel. He teaches me about love both in the way he loves me and the way he loves my mom. He teaches me about hard work. I can't even begin to detail all the things he created or fixed by hand--and the amazing job he always did. He also taught me to love exercise, especially running. He teaches me to be humble and just keep persevering.

And mostly, he teaches me all of these things through his example. I couldn't ask for a better dad in my life. I am super di dooper homesick for him right now.

Happy Birthday, Dad & Gus! I love you both! Thanks for being the cause of so many Joyful Moments, today and every day!