Appreciating

We rented The Time Traveler's Wife last night. I haven't read the book, though I hear it is outstanding, and I didn't really know what the movie was about prior to watching it. I sat there at the end, with big crocodile tears streaming down my face, attractively sobbing and blowing my nose. Can you imagine knowing when you are going to die? Seriously, I wonder how people would change their perspective, their approach to life, if they actually knew. Interesting how much that movie confirmed what I am trying to do these days: Appreciate the moments. Live each day. Love hard.

Here are the things I am appreciating right now:

I am appreciating the sunshine. The blue skies. The reminder that spring (and then summer) is around the corner. Because that means getting outside and playing, meeting friends at the playground, and swimming, and picnics, and Idlewild Park with a 3 year old and a 1 year old (I can't wait!), and flowers, and more time to spend with my family.

I am appreciating having friends that I can have over without feeling like my house has to be spotless, or even close to clean...because clean is getting harder and harder to acheive.

I am appreciating cornstarch and water and food coloring, and construction paper and tape, and good books from the library, and icing. Because all of those things together mean a really nice morning, a lot of smiles, and fond memories. (Thanks, K.)

I am appreciating conversations with three-year-olds that go something like this:

Cortlan: Mommy, what did you have?

Me: When?

Cortlan: What did you have?

Me: When?

Cortlan: When, what?

Me: What did I have, when?
Cortlan: When, pen. Those rhyme!

And finally, I am appreciating all the smiling I have been doing lately.