James is now Nine-months-old, and while he has never had any lack of personality it seems recently his little personhood has asserted itself much more obviously. The kid is hilarious. If one were to look at my life as a casual observer they’d probably find it really ordinary, monotonous really; our day is centered around naps and laundry, but the problem with being a casual observer is that they don’t know James, or how exciting and full of life the smallest tasks can be when you really embrace the joy of the moment. My day might seem ordinary, but with a little person like James and a husband like Burk there is nothing monotonous or plain about it; my life is an adventure simply by being a life shared with others.
Don’t misunderstand, I have hardly mastered the art of the moment, no one has, but I do feel blessed to have truly enjoyed the past few weeks simply living life together with my family, without the anxiety of tomorrow or the next task on my list, but instead cherishing the moments that time will never return: James squealing with delight as I write on my typewriter (the kid knows good things when he sees them); that adorable belly laugh inspired by silly songs; the pure joy of every new thing, water rippling in the wind and gravel crunching beneath adorable moccasins; smiles exchanged between father and son; homemade margaritas and a movie (an entire movie is a rarity here) with my husband; time spent with good friends; and the tiniest promise of Spring in a sunny day. I am blessed whether I recognize it or not, but I am thankful for this time of recognition, this granting of peace and contentment that I feel is so rarely found. Because life is these little moments, these little glimpses of joy that remind us of the divine, these peaceful pieces that remind us there is more then our smallness, more then this broken world of anxiety, consumerism, discontent and selfishness; these tiny things that are so easily overlooked serve to refocus us on what is so much larger then ourselves, they remind us of a God who loves us enough to give us such joyful things though we do not deserve them. If only we can stop and notice them. I only hope I can remember that tomorrow.