It's a Wonderful Life

I didn't title my blog It's A Wonderful Life because of the movie. Nope, it's because I consider my life to be pretty wonderful. It's only 9 am and already I love how this day is going. Here are some highlights:

*J wakes me up around 7:30, talking a mile a minute about how he's going to put the Nintendo DS in my purse, how he's cold, and how he's going to get clothes out of his dresser.

*J leaves my room, then comes back a few minutes later with some random clothes in his hands. He puts on his underwear, and then holds up the pants he picked out. Except it's a shirt. "A shirt? Oh yeah, it's a shirt. Need pants.", he said to no one but himself, and he ran back to his bedroom.

*J returns to put on his Elmo print pajama bottoms to 'match' his pirate t-shirt and then finishes off the outfit with a green sock and a blue sock.

*We come downstairs and I let the cat in the house from it's halfway house in the garage (that's a whole 'nother post for another day).

*J sits down to eat his cereal and the cat jumps up on the chair with him. The dog is none too pleased because he is the one who gets the scraps. And being that he's 80 lbs, he can't get a whole lot closer than sitting right beside J's chair. Dog glares at cat.

*J, who thinks the cat is getting a little too close while he's eating, keeps saying "no-no kitty. down kitty" and then kisses it on its head everytime he puts it back down on the floor.

*The cat loves our dog, our dog tolerates (but secretly loves) the cat, and J loves to chase and be chased by the cat and the dog. Chaos ensues.

*The dog chases the cat and gets too close to it and rolls it over. The cat jumps up and smacks the dogs nose with his paw. Dog looks shocked.

*Jack chases cat. Dog chases Jack and cat. I sit at the kitchen table with my laptop. Pure bliss!

It really is a wonderful life!!

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. -Dr. Seuss

What a great quote! My cousin posted this on Facebook today as her status and I absolutely love it! It's a great way to look at the ups and downs of life.

I am a planner. I make lists and more lists and lists of lists to make. In fact, before our week long beach vacation, I had 10 different lists going. Planning = good. But it also means that after a big event that I look forward to for weeks and months on end, I am letdown when it's over. No more planning and getting excited. Just back to everyday life.

Our vacation has come and gone. On our last day at the beach my husband and I stood together looking out at the ocean. I said, "Goodbye ocean. At least til we meet again at another time and another place." My husband just laughed and said, "uhhh, goodbye ocean. I guess." He apparently doesn't know that the ocean can hear you and looks forward to your return. I will admit that as excited as I was to get home and see our furry child who I missed very much, I was sad to be leaving the beach and ending our vacation.

But, I reminded myself that there will be plenty more vacations. And we can always come back to this exact spot.

I didn't cry because it was over, I smiled because it happened. It's the seasons of life. You look forward to it, you live it, you look back on it. Sometimes the cycle happens in days, sometimes it's a lifetime.

But keep smiling!

Mother Nature

I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand
Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand
Life is good today, life is good today

This week we've been on vacation at the beach. I have watched my little boy feel the power of the ocean as it pulls and pushes against him. I have watched his eyes light up with excitement with one wave, and his eyes darken with fear of the next.

Mother Nature is not to be fooled with.

This week, the beach has been kind of crazy. Due to thunderstorms and a tropical storm out at sea, the water is unseasonably cold and the surf is very, very rough. We are in the Outer Banks, and apparently where we are there is a convergence of currents. So not only do the waves come at you head on, but also from the sides. It takes all your strength to stay upright when the waves hit you.

Yesterday, jellyfish invaded the beaches. There were hundreds of them laying on the beach and more in the waves. We stayed away for fear of getting stung (even though most of them were probably already dead from the strength of the surf).

I love the beach. I love the roar of the waves, the warmth of the sun, the push and pull of the water around my body and the feel of the sand sticking to my sunscreen clad body. I love watching my son and husband digging holes and building sandcastles in the warm sand.

But there are dangers: rip currents, sharks, jellyfish, getting swept out to sea. But such is Mother Nature. She gives us the beauty of the earth, the circle of life, babies (mammalian and otherswise) and seasons filled with colors and smells that thrill the soul.

She also gives up hurricanes, tornadoes, death and famine. It is a double edged sword that we both love and hate, depending upon the day.

As I played with my son in the waves, I encouraged him to have fun, but never, ever turn your back to the ocean. It will get you every time you let your guard down.

And such is life.