Joy

Shyler has been working nights this month and we were all excited to hear he wasn't going in to the hospital last Thursday night. We threw our favorite dinner in the oven and took the kids for a walk around the neighborhood. No winter coats on this occasion and that was half the fun! The girls had a blast running up and down the leftover snow piles by each mailbox and Dashle was so happy and content to be outside for a stroll with the sun shining and the laughter of his sisters around him. It was hard to go inside the house once we hit the driveway until the sweet and savory aroma of tinfoil dinners hit our senses and we felt okay about feeding our famished selves. The best dinners in our home occur when there is near silence and the only sounds are the light clinking of forks and knives on the plates. That means everyone is enjoying the meal. And at that moment I sat in the silence and reflected on how much fun our little family has together.

It reminded me of all the times since we first started having kids that we would picnic at a park, or take a Sunday evening stroll, or a quiet drive through the country with the car windows down, or fly kites at a nearby field. Those are my best moments, my best memories. I'm certain on almost every occasion someone was throwing a fit or someone scraped a knee, or someone definitely had to use the bathroom when there wasn't one in sight. I'm sure in those moments I felt a bit frustrated and impatient, but I simply can't remember those little negative tidbits. I only remember with fondness how our girls laughed as their dad chased them through the grass or how happiness radiated across their faces because we went to McD's on a Friday night and picnicked in the park ($6 for a family of five cannot be passed up!) I only remember holding my sweetie's hand as he pushed the stroller with his other hand while playing official time keeper to the girls racing down the sidewalk. And this last time I will remember how the girls soaked their pants by playing in the snow and how Emery ran far ahead of us and Shyler threw snowballs at her and she didn't cry or get upset she just laughed because she knew it was a game. I will remember how the girls couldn't stop giggling when they would smash snow on my jacket and pants. I will remember that these are my favorite people, the ones I love the most and will forever cherish because when I'm with them in moments like these I am happy, truly happy, and they are, too.