The Little Things

Tonight my mom is in town. She's only been here since dinnertime, but I already feel a million times better about life in general.

My mom always has that effect on me. :)

As I recounted the weeks' events, we had country music playing, natch. The song "Don't You Wanna Stay," by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson (AMAZING) came on, and it reminded me of a cool moment that happened this Wednesday morning.

I got up late for school. I felt tired and grumpy. We have four weeks left until Spring Break, and I've been feeling like I have to ride my broom to school every morning just to get many of my students to take school seriously.

While I was still lying in bed, I said a little prayer that God would help me to have a good day in spite of being tired, and that he would give me the energy to get through it all with an attitude of joy.

Then my mom called just to say good morning. I felt a little better.

I've been running a lot lately and have been surviving on Lean Cuisines for dinner every night, so I was super hungry. A bowl of cereal just wasn't going to cut it. Even though I didn't have time for it, I decided to stop by Chick-fil-A and treat myself to a big gulp diet coke and a chicken biscuit.

I hit every green light on the way to Chick-fil-A.

There was no line in the drive thru.

And then my jam, "Don't You Wanna Stay," came on the radio. I blasted it and arrived to school with a huge smile on my face - five minutes early. The rest of the day flew by.

I especially liked that I had a gigantic styrofoam cup to keep refilling with diet coke all day. "Isn't that dumb?" I said to my mom. "That a styrofoam cup would make me happy?"

My mom replied, "Nope. Sometimes it's just the little things, honey."

How true.

I think if I spent more time collecting these "little things" and storing them up in my heart, I could carry that joy with me all the time.

Some of the other little things this week that have brought me JOY are:

1. 70 and 80 degree weather. Hello Rainbows! How I've missed you!
2. Cashing in a hot stone pedicure gift certificate I got for Christmas from one of my little girls in my class. I love seeing my light purple toenail polish when I wear my Rainbows!
   
3. Reading the second book in "The Hunger Games" series in one sitting Thursday night. Yes, it is that riveting. Cannot wait to start the third one!
   
4. Eating at PF Changs tonight after a week of Lean Cuisines. Heavenly.
5. Walking around the Shops at Greenridge with my mom, with no agenda and no rush.
6. Having our "Holiday Book Club" today, when my kids that read a book over Christmas vacation get to talk about what they are reading. I love how they got so into the discussion, they didn't want to go outside to recess on this insanely gorgeous day!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!
7. Having our sweet school counselor bring in some clothes she didn't want anymore and finding an adorable pair of Big Star jeans in the stack that fit me perfectly.
8. Hearing from an old friend out of the blue.
   
9. Writing a song with my Thursday afternoon guitar class.
   
10. Getting this in my fortune cookie:

What are some of your little things?

Now I know:
There isn't one big key to joy. There are a million little ones.

Forget About Sliced Bread

What did the world do before Target?

Whether you say it so it rhymes with "car bet" or "bar day", it's the place of my dreams. Some of you may have seen the Veggie Tales episode where Larry the Cucumber visits "Stuff Mart" and the lights shine down from heaven each time someone says the name of the store.

That's exactly how I feel about Target. (Cue the angels' voices!)

I would really hate to do one of those budget thingys, because the pie chart would probably show an unholy amount of my monthly income going to Target. One of my brilliant friends (hope I don't blow your cover, girl) always talks about the "Target Loophole" in her and her husbands' budget. You know, so the answer to "Whoa!! Why did you spend $100 at Target?" is an easy "Oh honey, we needed toilet paper and some other necessities (with the silent "like a new tank top and fabulous wedges" under a silent asterisk below).

Speaking of fabulous wedges, I've been positively drooling over these sleek gold stunners. If you've been in Greenville for the past week I bet your toes have been positively itching to get out of those closed-toed shoes and into something that is this adorable. And even if they'd make you as tall as an Amazon, like they would for me, just imagine how great your legs would look in them! How many outfits they would match! How many compliments you'd get! All for just $29.99!


Somehow I've mustered up the willpower to walk past them two times in the last two weeks. (Impressive, I know).

Now I know:
I won't walk past these without buying them again.

Waxing Poetic

Sing a Song of Springtime
A sunny sunshine kind of day
Birds and kids and bumblebees
Come outside to play

White puffy clouds fill the air
Soft cool breezes blow
We say goodbye to icicles
Freezing rain and snow

Bare white legs are all around
Flip flops grace our cooped-up feet
How glorious when soft green grass
And winterized toes do meet!

But wait, what's that?
Another chill? Winter storms and skies so gray?
Yes, just wait til March, I warn to those
who think spring has come to stay.

I know the thought is pessimistic,
Upsetting and quite scary
That winter is not over yet.
But it's only February.


Now I know:
My Asheville-bred cynicism of an early spring runs deep.