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I really enJOY going to work! Once again Abigail had the opportunity to play with someone her age. SO cute! I love the little kids I get to watch. They are all pretty much easy going. I totally found JOY "racing" trains with my little friend Peyton! My knees didn't find it so JOYous! But it was totally worth the pain!
It was so nice to make my husband one of his favorite meals tonight. I apparently have a new flair for making Italian Wedding soup! He LOVED it! I totally find JOY making my husband happy especially through food. I totally believe that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach!
JOY was walking Anna home from school holding hands. Anna only holds hands when she has to. So, for her to hold my hand the whole way home was super nice!
I loved how excited she got when she found out she would be selling Girl Scout cookies. She wants the trophy (of course to get the trophy you must sell 1000 boxes!). To see her try to set a goal (even one that may be a bit on the unrealistic side) for something she wants to do was pretty neat. I found myself feeling JOYful just watching her excitement!
I love my little Girl Scout!
I was asked to come to work to fill in today. I enJOY my "job". I honestly never thought I'd find myself working with children again. When I left TCA I said I was done and then after I had Anna I thought I could never have enough patience to be with other people's children (in a work setting!).
I guess that's why they say "Never say never"!
I took care of a little girl who was about two weeks older than Abigail. It was so cute to see Abigail get so excited over a child her own age. Now, Anna always had kids around that were her age. Abigail just doesn't have that. So, when she sees somebody her height she goes crazy! She was hugging and touching the girls hair. She would blow her kisses and just walk up and stare at her.
They played so nicely together. It was a JOY to watch (and get paid to do it!)!
JOY is my Pop Pop celebrating another birthday!
Today was pretty low key. I find JOY in knowing my husband is doing everything he can to take care of me and my girls.
My little one can be such a JOY. I was laying in bed thinking of my afternoon with Abigail. I love holding her and rocking her, when she allows me to. She is the source of much comedic relief to my husband and I. Although she can be quite naughty and a total handful she really does make me smile.
We were at the mall with my brother. He was off looking for sneakers and I pretty much just walked the mall. At one of the stores Abigail took to winning strangers over with her crooked smile and cute Miss America wave. After the same scene in a few other stores I bought an Orange Julius (let me just tell you how happy I was the day I saw an Orange Julius in NJ! That was complete JOY! I never saw one in NJ since we moved here when I was in fourth grade from PA.) Now, most of you know that Abigail is part gerbil or goat, not sure which, so you can only imagine what this baby did to a styrofoam cup and plastic lid. After deciding she was done with the straw she chewed her way through the cup to get to the good stuff! Normally this would make me crazy but since I wasn't on a mission I sat down and just smiled at my funny girl. She is nuts!
After cleaning her up I decided to take her to the fountain to throw in some coins. She absolutely loved doing this and the smile on her face was priceless. Of course being free from the stroller she decided she needed to roam a bit. So, three laps around the fountain we went. Her smiling her crooked smile and stopping at every person sitting down to wave at them. I love seeing the JOY other people get from my little girl.
After the third time it was back into the stroller. Of course that smiling girl turned into a writhing monster! Bring out the DumDum (Nan, if you are reading stop NOW!)! I have given this precious baby dumdum lollipops in the past and have never witnessed what happened in my life. After handing over the pop we walked into Nordstrom to head out to the car. I look down at her and watch as she pulls out the stick and not the pop. My gerbil/goat had chewed her way THROUGH the stick so that all she had in her mouth was the pop! At first I didn't know if I should laugh or give her the heimlich. I couldn't believe it! So, standing in the middle of the shoe department I preceed to "finger sweep" and the whole time praying don't choke, don't choke. Out came the pop and with it the massive tantrum! Once again, she is so crazy!
Within minutes she was over her escapade and we were in the car ready to go. She continued her cute smiling and waving through dinner and was as happy as a clam the whole way home. I was able to rock her last night and thought to myself how many people did I catch just smiling and enJOYing my little girl today? No matter how nuts she can make me at the very next moment she is smiling her trademark smile and bringing JOY as she does!
Well, this past week has definitely been one I won't forget for a long time. I'm so glad my husband is my best friend. He understands what I'm thinking and since we are going through the same things he totally gets it. I'm sure that God is using this week to help us depend more on Him.
I've learned that we can do without certain things (although I must admit this lesson I've learned a number of times over the past six years!). The one thing that I've learned you can't do without is friends and family. The people who will do anything for you and who know that in their time of need you would totally reciprocate.
I found that trying to find my JOY every day was like a game. I would process the things that were happening each day and try to find the JOY in each one. I think that this 2010 Journey is going to be a good one for me. I know that some days it will be harder to find JOY than others. The days where the JOY is abundant are the days that will get me through the rest!
