Daily Joy

Quote for the day:
"....every moment of our life does not have to be perfect to be of value. Too often, I realize, we fail to see the glorious reality of the simple joy that abounds in the seemingly mundane routine of day-to-day living. Instead, we tend to idolize the past, idealize the future & devaluate the present...What better way to show our appreciation to God for what we have than to embrace our lives, albeit 'ordinary' & 'unexciting' with joy?"~Winnie Dalley

My children are a great source of my daily joy. Since becoming a mommy, I have never felt closer to God, more appreciative of my body, or better a wife/daughter/friend. Being a mother has opened my eyes to more of the "important" things in life...it has opened my eyes to really "embrace the mundane."

John Lenon coined that great quote, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." I see that, I live that (or at least try very hard to) now that I am a mommy. Oh yes, there are times of despair, there are times of not having showered for...um...three days! There are times when I cannot remember if I brushed me teeth, but really, when I am having "one of those days" I try to take a deep breath and then tell myself to look at the big picture - my kiddos will not remember that I did not wear makeup for most of the summer of 2007, but they will remember how it felt to get up early and have a special treat from the doughnut shop, or take a picnic to the pool, or to lay around and play board games on a rainy afternoon.

Now, don't get the idea that it is always "daisies and sunshine" around the Bugzmommy home on a daily basis...quite the contrary...there are days when the kids yell all day, there are toys strewn throughout the house, the dishes are piled up, and I feel as if I will blow my top...but then I overhear this:

Lil Princess to Baby Brother: Brother, when we get older and get married, not to each other because we cannot do that, but to someone else and we move out of mommy and daddy’s house but live next door, we can all get together at night and go out for ice cream!”

*sigh* That just reinforces the value of the "little things" in my life and how they impact my children. The "little", "mundane", "every day" things are so huge to a child. Knowing that my choice to "see the joy in the simple things" makes such an impact on my children...that is my daily joy.