Celebrate Life: Be Happy and DO Something!
Family/Mixed Bag FunI was driving to the store with the kids, head bopping and enthusiastically singing along to Madonna’s “Holiday” when Little Man turned to me and asked, “Mommy, what does “celebrate” mean?”
Hmm. Indeed.
I told him that I thought it meant being happy about something and wanting to do something special for it.
A definition given specifically for a 3-year old, on the fly and with my head still in the oh-so-fun 80′s, but I think I’m sticking with it. Celebrate: to be happy about something and wanting to do something special for it.
***
We’ve been sick around here, all of us, one at a time
That, and the struggle I’ve had to maintain a positive equilibrium with our return from Baja hasn’t made me much of a perky-person. A lot of the time, I want to hide in bed with the covers over me, sleep all day. Be sad because I am here and not there.
I think of my definition of “celebrate” – in this case, being happy about being a mother, being happy I am with my kids – and I am urged by the brighter part of my spirit to do something happy about it.
Forget Baja and the beautiful sunrises. Forget the deliciousness of month-long camping. Forget the delight of having all 4 of us together, enjoying (most) each and every moment. Just..put it in my pocket, unseen except for occasional tiny peeks.
Remember the here and the now and what’s great about all that.
A small boy, mine! – being silly in the morning
My budding bookworm
The best chips, ever. Looking at that photo makes me salivate.
Little Miss, walk, walk, walking
And him, who loves his duckie goggles, uses them as work safety glasses – for a wide variety of industries to boot!
Miss Moxie-mas, discovering the cell phone that Daddy forgot behind and texted her Mommy – TWICE!
Kids, asleep at the same time, two nights in a row, unexpectedly. It was pretty great when it happened at the book store – 2 hours of sheer reading bliss for myself – every*single* magazine was read, every cookbook, urban farming book, weird/cool design book perused. I didn’t even glance at the children’s section – ha!
Little Man, riding his bike with pedals. We had him put the pedals on his bike himself (with Daddy by his side), then he hopped on and straightaway, started pedaling. He loves it. Learning to bike ride on the first try? That’s a tribute to him scooting around his bike without pedals since, well, as soon as he could walk.
***
These slivers and moments that I wrote of as magical are moments that are magic. They are the small nuggets in a daily life that is often rife with all sorts of normal nonsense.
Little Man whining, crappy weather, depression. Physical pains and aches of learning to run at the grand old age of 38. Our truck hic-upping, super tight purse strings. Wondering if anything will ever come together – and then the baby starts screaming and won’t stop and Little Man joins in (why not? FUN!) and I see a McDonald’s and frankly, I couldn’t care less at this point at how horrible the “food” is for all of us – I KNOW THE KIDS WILL EAT IT HAPPILY and I’m just desperate for some peace.
Which. I get.
And the sun comes out.
And the light on my baby’s perfect downy-soft, smooth skin takes my breath away.
She is grace and beauty and so utterly lovely. I celebrate her, my Rainbow Child.
Little Man is calling – LOOK AT ME, MOMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
- I just about cry, I’m so freakin’ happy for this moment, this bliss that balms my spirit, that gives me that surge of love-power. A moment to celebrate – because I am happy I have my kids, I am happy I have this time with them – and I want do something about it.
***
My girl
Figuring out how to take out the ear buds. I wish I had known that was what she was doing…
And Micah, falling under the spell of the plastic small blocks.
I am ready for this phase. I hope it lasts a while. I will celebrate a departure from trains.
My cauliflower! Grown from seed!
Yes, celery too! I squealed.
Beautiful Ayyamiha gifts from a thoughtful, generous friend – and I am living my fantasy of Flashdance. Thank you, Melissa.
A sunset – not Mexican, but still lovely
A moment that I celebrate as one in which makes me happy – that I want to do something about.
Being out there with the kids in that explosion of color across the bay was something to treasure.
He thought so too.
Then he had to take a leak
***
Back to square one.
It’s so hard sometimes to try and find the effervescent in the sludge that threatens to consume you when you are sad. Sometimes I think it’s easier to roll with it for a spell… and then crawl out of the pit and take a shower.
Go for a walk. Or maybe a run. Allow yourself to be sad. Allow the feeling to shift, and when it’s shifted, the effervescent will be right there – where it was all along, just waiting for you to see it
***
PS
Lots of these photos were posted already on instagram (I’m meriahnichols, if you’d like to follow my feed) and on the With a Little Moxie facebook page.
PSS
I’m still training, still trying to learn how to run for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s fundraising run on May 6th in which I am running in honor of Oliver – a 16 month old fighter with leukemia.
Please chip in for the fundraising – let’s find a cure for blood cancer. This is my page.
and – please visit Oliver’s CaringBridge page and show him and his family your love and support
PSSS
Yes, I like postscripts
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