My Son at the Playground

My 2 year old son is continually teaching me new things.  Judging by my posts, it is obvious that so much joy I find in this world comes from my children. 

Unfortunately I can’t grant my son every wish he desires, such as going swimming everyday, drinking chocolate milk all day, or buying every truck or dog he sees, yet he always makes whatever he is doing fun. 

When we do get to do some of the activities he loves, such as playing on the playground, it is a delight to observe him.  Today for instance he climbed up to the tallest slide, and stopped at the top of the stairs.  In front of the slide sat an older girl, maybe 10 years old, blocking the entrance.  I saw him hesitate, deciding whether he should turn back, or press on, when I heard him very politely ask if he could have a turn. What a sweet boy.  It is hard knowing I cannot protect this child from all that is wrong in this world.  I wish I could make sure I could always be standing there, making sure he would get his turn on the big slide.  This time I was there, but didn’t need to fight this girl for my sons turn on the slide. She moved and he enjoyed his turn.

Not more than 5 minutes later he showed yet another side of his wonderful love for life and for people.  He ran up to another running child, close to his size, and roared.  He loves to roar in faces and chase them after.  Of course this other child was rather surprised and just ran away.  This roaring incident reminded me of another similar experience he had had a couple of weeks prior.

While standing in line at the store pharmacy, he said “boo” to a woman passing by, leaned over the cart, close to her face, and yelled “boo”. He loved it. I was mortified, and she was a little surprised, and walked away.  A few minutes later, she was walking past us again, heading the other direction, and she yelled “boo” to him.  That was such a neat interaction between the two of them.

It’s these types of little encounters he has with people that reminds me, life is short, have fun, don’t worry what others might think and slide down the tallest slide, and roar, or even “boo” at a stranger.  Who knows, you might actually have fun, make someone else’s day a little brighter and maybe even get a “boo” in return.  

Today, I choose joy!

The “Big Kids”

My son loves playing with the “Big Kids” from our ward. We have fun activities playing volleyball, frisbee golf, soccer and foosball but there aren’t very many kids, and they are all 2 and under so the only people playing the games are the adults.  My son has no inhibitions so he just runs out and starts playing with them.  I worry he will ruin the games for them, but they are always so nice to him and let him play.  He gets so happy and talks about it for weeks, how he played with the big kids. 

Human foosball this week was so funny.  One of the “big kids” had him hold on to the pvc pipe right next to her and the game started.  It wasn’t long before he had broken free of the confinement of the pipe, and was running free, chasing the ball under pipes and around people, with the cutest little determined look on his face.  And yet, through it all, none of the “big kids” seemed to mind that the foosball game was being compromised. He was just cheered on and felt like M.V.P. 

Thank you “big kids” for creating happy, and memorable moments for a 2 year old boy.

Today, I choose joy!

“The Blue Doctor”’

That’s what my son called one of the nurses at the veterinarian’s office today.  Why? Her name was “Blue Doctor” because she was wearing a blue shirt of course.  Children have so many wonderful things to say.  They are innocent, honest, and funny!

I love to hear what my son has to say which is why it is so important to listen.

Today, I choose joy!

That We Might Have Joy

Throughout our lives, we have people, and experiences that cross our paths, usually to inspire us and lift us, reminding us to look up to He who gave us life.  Today I had such an experience. I felt enlightened and inspired and moved to action.

This epiphany came from a complete stranger’s blog, shared to me by my dear sister.  As we perused through the different posts, I noticed a common theme.  This woman remembered she is a daughter of God, and she was living a beautiful, and joyous life. And she was creating beauty for her family and friends, (and strangers such as myself) all along her journey in life. 

Normally it would be so easy to tell myself how she is yet another “perfect” woman living in this world, with a “perfect” life and everything she could ever dream of, without ever facing any turmoil along the way.  However, thankfully I was detoured from my typical reaction by the trials this woman had faced. 

She was a young mother and wife, who had been through a tragic accident with her husband, leaving them both burned and scarred, yet she rose above the trial as she looked higher, and remembered who she was and from where she came.

Those few minutes reading her blog, sharing her life, I was reminded of our purpose as children of loving, heavenly parents, that “…[we] are, that [we] might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). Key word being might, as it is ultimately up to us what we choose.

The purpose of this new blog is for me to recognize the joy that I am blessed with each day.  After all, each day is a gift from my Father in Heaven, a blessing, and it is time for me to start seeing it as such. 

Thank you Stephanie, and Cassie, for providing the opportunity for me to be enlightened. 

Today, I choose Joy!