End is a Beginning

I'm happy to look back over January and see that at the end of it, I've had a happy month. Tomorrow will begin February, and what happyness will it bring? It is exciting to anticipate more happyness.

Gal Pals

What would I do without my seagals? They bring me happyness in many different ways - we share laughter, fun, gossip, secrets, tears, faith, fear and hope. We go to the beach, to the movies, out to eat, to church functions, to each other's homes. We pray together and dream together, and are growing old together. We share our children and laugh at our husbands. We vent and we cuss when necessary, and eat chocolate, ice cream and crunch and munch when necessary. My gal pals make me happy.

Feeling Good

Having rheumatoid arthritis makes every day a question mark. Will I hurt today? Will I feel tired? Will I "just not feel right"? Will I be able to walk normally? When a day rolls around and I can say "I almost feel normal today!" then that is a GREAT day and a day to be happy, happy, happy. Yesterday was such a day and so yesterday was happy, happy, happy!

Groceries

I normally totally dislike going to the grocery store - it is a chore that must be done but normally holds no enjoyment for me. I do have to say, however, that when Joe was home he went along with me and that was an hour of happyness. He pushed the cart and made it an all around good time - loaded the groceries and helped me carry them into the house. I'm not sure why he went, but it made me feel loved, and now when I go the grocery store I smile with the memory of it. So, now I can associate happy with groceries!

Cooking

Happyness is coming in the door after work and finding Haley and her gal pals sitting around studying. Their laughter and youth is wonderful to have in the house. Of course, the unexpected company leaves me in a quandary as to what to fix for supper, and will I have enough food? Happyness comes when I find that I have fed them all and they, too, are happy.

Rest

I have been sick with a head and chest cold, so Saturday am I went back to bed and slept from 9:00am - 1:00pm. Sunday I stayed in bed and slept from 8:00am - 12:00pm, and again from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Happyness is being able to stay in bed, and just REST. Especially when you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Pizza and Mel

Two more things that made me happy yesterday were eating white pizza with spinach made at Joe's Pizza, and watching Mel Gibson in Signs. I don't think a person can go wrong with that combination, pizza and Mel.

Cleaning Out

I love throwing out the old and making room. Simplifying is a dream of mine. Losing clutter leaves free areas which free my mind and soul, which leads to happyness. When the dining room table is clear it is sweet. Yesterday Joe and I went through his clothes and loaded up three garbage bags full which have now gone out the door into someone else's life. Perhaps today I will go through my drawers, and Haley's, and find more happyness.

Blood

Today Val and I went to give blood. I was happy that I was successful - in November when I tried I was so slow I couldn't give enough. Also, I came home and found Haley and Becca here studying, and Joe working on his bible study. Double the happy. And when I said I needed to go to the grocery store, Joe went along. Triple happiness. Then we all ate pork and kraut, potatoes and green beans, quadruple happy. And then I stayed home for the night. Quince happy day!

The Office

I rent past episodes of The Office from Netflix, and I have to say watching these shows makes me happy. Laugh out loud funny!

Snow

I looked out the window this morning and surprise, there is a delicate coating of snow on the ground. It is so soft, white and pristine looking, unmarred yet and smooth. I love the freshness of the snow when it first falls. Happyness is a surprise snowfall.

Pain

Being in pain does not elicit happyness. Yesterday I hurt all over for most of the day, and moved my appt. up with Nancy Lemoi. My meds are no longer working, and in order for me to pursue happyness, my meds must work! I've been hurting now for over a month and enough is enough. Life goes on, with our without pain. Can I pursue happyness in spite of my pain? I guess I will have to try. Overall Monday's blank page was not filled with happyness. Maybe Tuesday will improve.

Reading

Yesterday boredom began setting in so I went to the library and borrowed two novels. With a book in hand, one is never bored! Sunday is the day of rest, and that is what I did, read and rested. With my arthritis I find I need more and more rest, so maybe part of pursuing happyness this year must involve making every Sunday a day of rest. I'm reading The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher and a quick read by Nora Roberts. Nora Roberts is a little racy, but she is a nice escape, plus this one is set in Maine. Maine makes me happy.

Promised Land

Today at Yayas we listened to Kathy V. and encouraged her. I pray for this year to be a happy new year, and that at the end of this year we can look back and see how her life has improved. 40 years of wandering in the wilderness is long enough - it is time to move on into the PROMISED land. You promised, Father, and I am holding You to that promise. We have a blank page of days ahead of us, and let us pursue happyness on each page, not only for Kathy and Dave, but for the rest of us yoyo Yayas as well.

Resolutions

Every year I naturally am lead to think about resolutions - fresh starts and improvements. Of course, I seldom am able to be successful in the changes. The only year I succeeded was the year I resolved to use my crockpot more. That was a good one! This year I have made a cleaning schedule in hopes of keeping the house in a state of order so that, at any time, if someone 'pops' in I won't feel embarrassed. Also, I guess keeping this blog is a resolution of sorts. The purpose of this particular resolution is just to keep a diary of my life for the fun of it. Filling in the blank pages of my life.

Fun!

Randy and family pulled out this morning. This family is so full of life and it was fun to be caught up in their whirlwinds of energy. We went for walks in the cemetery, read tombstones, baked a cake, read books, drew pictures, ate, Ethan and Ava built a fort under the dining room table, chatter, chatter, chatter and little feet, hands and tongues being very active all through the house. Now all is quiet again and I return to my hum-drum existence. I like being peaceful, for the most part, but I certainly enjoyed filling up the blank pages of Jan 2 - 3, 2007 with my brother and his family. It was FUN!

Snow

Today Randy, Carole, Ethan, Will and Ava arrive! They wanted it to snow so badly - two years ago when they were here they built snowmen, rolled snowballs down the backyard until they were giant snowballs, and had snowball fights. I love the backyard immediately after it snows - it is smooth, soft, pure, white, and blank, like a blank page. Untouched and waiting to be written upon. Just like today. Let the magic begin...