Happiness Is . . .
January 30, 2011
The excitement of a trip across the country to see your friends and learn something new! It’s arriving at a grand hotel in a faraway city, and the first thing you notice is the beautiful light fixtures.
It’s enjoying regional cuisine, like fried green tomatoes . . .
. . . and wanting to bring home even more of the local specialties.
Happiness is meeting up with old friends you’ve missed so much, who just happen to live way too far away from you.
It’s sharing a long lunch with the nicest ladies . . .
From left: Ashley, Rhoda, Myra, Beth, Chris, Sarah, Shaunna, Traci, Layla
It’s making new girlfriends, but then acting like old ones.
Ashley & me
Happiness is when other creative people share your sense of humor . . .
. . . and discriminating thrift store hunting with the very best thrifters.
me, Chris, Myra, Rhoda & Sarah, pic shamelessly stolen from Beth
It’s goofing off in antique stores with the funniest friends.
Traci & Rhoda
Then spying a pretty find at that same store . . .
. . . and bringing it home to make it part of your home.
Happiness is crossing over the Sierras in a plane which means you’re almost home.
It’s waking up to the best surprise from a husband who missed you: all the plastic lids matched to all their plastic mates and organized into separate baskets. Just because he knew you’d appreciate it so much.
It’s watching your daughter craft a new masterpiece . . . 
. . . and your son build his next of many skyscrapers.
Happiness is the realization that an orchid is actually reblooming in your home for the first time in your adult life. And the tenacity of that lone flowering plant in your kitchen window that completely ignores the fact that it’s winter.
It’s starting a new project over the weekend, one you’ve been meaning to get to for awhile.
Happiness is not a coveted ticket to the Academy Awards, but instead it is receiving a much more exclusive invitation: a 5 o’clock picnic on your staircase landing.
Happiness is realizing that when you wonder what you should write about, all you really need to do is count your blessings.
And because we should take Nothing for Granted, I received a touching email from the mother of Christie, a reader who’s third unborn son was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called truncus arteriosus. The newborn will require open heart surgery in his first month of life, and several surgeries after. Please take a moment to send all your thoughts and prayers to Christie and Jonathan during their troubled times.
What makes you happy lately ?
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A great post indeed! I was thinking the same thing earlier- how we post all of these fun and helpful things each day- but there are so many things that are musch deeper and more meaningful- thank you for taking the time to share and reflect!
What a lovely post. It makes you happy.
Such a lovey post…I stopped the other morning and actually found myself counting my blessings..something I don’t seem to do often enough. I am truly blessed with 2 boys that I adore…a wonderful husband, friends who make my world go around…the list goes on…my home is evolving to feel more like me and that makes me happy as well…
Thanks for sharing Christie’s story. My third child, also a son, has a CHD. He was not expected to breathe his first breath, but he turns 2 on Feb. 19 so I guess he proved them wrong, huh?! I checked out Christie’s blog and left her a comment that we other heart moms are out here for her… and BTW, I love those light fixtures too!
Your white scarf from the first few photos is making me happy :) Where did you get it? It’s so true that you can’t take anything for granted. Life works in such mysterious ways, that I just have to take a second to be grateful for what I do have each day.
Many prayers to Christie and Jonathon. That’s true, we should never take anything for granted.
Love this post! Cute pics from Blissdom! And your kiddies are adorable.
Looks like a lot of fun!