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6 Things That Make Me Happy

Inspired by "our Ms. Laura" as Nicholas calls her, I have decided to recount 6 things that make me happy. After spending a wonderful week on the beautiful beach with my even more beautiful family...this list couldn't be easier.

6. Chocolate Chip Cookies - I will do Jillian twice in a day if it means I can still induldge in this little treat.

5. Foot Rubs - my husband who works so very hard and is on his feet just as much as I am during the day is still so very sweet to give me foot rubs even when I don't ask. I love you Josh!

4. My Pets - I love all animals (well are snakes included in that list?) and my dogs and cat are at the top of that list. There is nothing like the love you get from your dog. Even when my kids say they would rather have Daddy read them a book and Josh thinks I am nagging him...Olivia and Andi think I am perfect.

3. Reading - BOOKS MAKE ME SO STINKING HAPPY! The only problem is that I read them too fast and then I have the book let-down...until I find another page-turner!

2. Bedtime Prayers - I love hearing Nicholas (and now Natalie) learn that they can pray to God just like they were talking to Momma or Daddy. I adore hearing the things they pray about and are thankful for...it gives me such a precious peak into their worlds! And it makes me so happy to know that every time they pray, they are developing what should be the most important personal and intimate relationship they will ever know.

1. My Family - It is one of my heart's greatest pleasures to watch my kids experience wonderful things for the very first time. I have witnessed this several times throughout the week with them seeing the ocean for the first time, building sandcastles and seeing dolphins swim. I love to hear them laugh while they play in the sand or jump in the waves with Daddy. And I have especially enjoyed watching Josh experience all these wonderful things again through the eyes of our kids. My family is such a amazing gift from God and they couldn't make me happier.

So now its your turn - what makes you happy?

Kids say the darndest things...

We are in Florida and enjoying ourselves very much! We wanted to provide a few pictures and also pass along some of our most memorable quotes from the journey thus far...

Natalie when seeing the ocean for the first time:

"WOW - Slip n' Slide"

Nicholas recounting how much he loved the beach:

"It was so cool that it was all the letters in the alphabet!"

Natalie when boarding the swamp tour boat:

"Gonna get me a gator Daddy!" (this girl has no fear)

Lessons from the Tank

We got Daddy a 37 gallon aquarium for his Father's Day gift and Nicholas and Natalie were PUMPED to get it set up and filled with fish. We purchased decorations similar to the fish tank in the movie "Finding Nemo" so you will notice Mt. Wanna-Hocka-Loogie is in there, very cool.

So yesterday we set out to PetSmart to find some friendly fish for our tank. Nicholas (with a true heart like his Momma) chose the feeder fish because "that way they won't get eaten"...

Natalie on the other hand wanted the Cichlids (who are often agressive and will eat the other fish in the tank)...go figure.

So Nicholas was very excited about his fish and decided to name just one on the way home from the pet store. So he chose one of the two black fish and named him "Iffy". Good, good...but might be an omen here to name a feeder fish who cost only $0.27 "Iffy".

So the kids fell asleep on the way home and Josh and I set about getting the fish into the tank. Well lo and behold when we are about to introduce them to their new, spacious environment outside of the plastic bag they have been cooped up inside, we notice "Iffy" has passed on to that big fishbowl in the sky. Oh heavens...out of all 8 fish, the one he named has to be the one to die?? Well, we agree that we will just say that the other black fish that survived is "Iffy" even though he has a bit more gold to him, surely Nicholas won't be able to tell the difference.

Wrong

Skip to this morning when Nicholas wakes up and runs to the fish tank. He stares at the tank for about 30 seconds...

Nicholas: "Where is Iffy?"

Daddy: "Right there, see?"

Nicholas: "That's not Iffy"

Daddy: "Oh, well one of the black fish didn't make it so I guess that must have been Iffy"

Mommy rushes to the scene because she can sense a meltdown.

Nicholas: "Iffy DIED??"

Mommy: "Yes, honey...we are sorry."

Nicholas: **Begins to cry**

Mommy: **Begins to cry too**

So all this crying over a $0.27 fish who didn't even make it home from the pet store. So we talked about how sometimes people and animals we love die but we can remember how happy they made us and we are certain "Iffy" is swimming around happily in his heavenly fishbowl. :)