Eight

*Property of A Holy Land Experience

     That's how many days in the year have presented themselves to me and I am just now sitting down with the notion that I should be grateful.  I think sometimes that it occurs to me more often to do a Joy Dare when I am in need of one, when I'm feeling overwhelmed, angry, and depressed and I need to remember what I have to be happy about.  It doesn't often occur to me to do one when I am genuinely already feeling that way.  But there sure is a lot to be happy about, so here I go with my first Joy Dare of the year!  I won't get around to the dare every day because I am awful at routine, but feel free to join me and comment what you are joyful for, or head on over to A Holy Land Experience to download it for yourself and do it with your family or yourself.  It makes for a great journal entry each day.
     Anyway, here we go!
     January 8th - Dusky Light, Surprising Reflection, Lovely Shadow.

..... Reeeeaaally?  I finally sit down to do one and I get a puzzle.  Okay, let's make the best of this...

1. Dusky Light - Last night I had a product that needed to be tested before sundown.  I wasn't super eager to go outside and set it up because it's winter and I hate the cold.  But Punk was looking to get favor points to earn her phone back, so I took advantage and snagged her company.  She made it more enjoyable and even though it was getting to be dusk and she's terrified of the dark, she didn't complain at all, not once.  And later, she even went out in the dark to help her grandmother bring in groceries.  She angers me like nothing else, but yesterday she did good and I'm glad for it.

2.  Surprising Reflection - *sigh*  So this one is hard.  I'm not for big words and this one stumps me a little bit.  So I'm gonna go with this, and I'm not sure if it's more of a reflection or a realization, but I took some extra time and effort into last week.  I didn't allow myself any down time, I was up until 5 some mornings doing testing on different products I had gotten.  I did this so I could have more time to work on the house.  But what I ended up doing with my spare time (for the most part) was spend it with the kids.  Technically I was still on the computer for most of it, but I wasn't "busy".  We played Scene It, played a pop-up Cinderella game, watched movies, we did lots of things that I am usually too busy to do.  I usually get stressed and overwhelmed.

     While reflecting on all this, I've realized that I really need to stop working when the kids get home because I do actually LIKE hanging out with them.  I need to just get things done while most of them are in school and hang out in the afternoons.  This week has been less of a burden and more of a blessing, so I am thankful for that.

3. Lovely Shadow - Again, I'm stretching the meaning of the word, but whatevs.  See that girl up there?  I sometimes call her Girlfriend, but her official alias here is Baby Bee.  She is indeed lovely, very lovely.  Of all my kids, this one is the angel, she's the good one.  She almost never misbehaves, calls names, is mean... she's a perfect little peanut.  She's exactly like I was when I was a kid.  For that I am grateful.  I worry, mind you... it's not easy being so shy and reserved, but she has a fire in her that I didn't have, so I think she'll be alright.  But I'm grateful in the sense that when I had kids, I really didn't expect it to be the way it is.  I assumed that because I was a kid once, I knew what kids were like and raising them wouldn't be so bad.

     WRONG!  I was a very abnormal kid, I'm coming to find.  I'm not saying I did nothing wrong.  I went through a lying phase when I was 7 or so, I once put tacks on my sister's bed when I was mad at her, and I sneaked a drink here and there in high school.  But generally speaking, I didn't do much to merit punishment of any kind.  And my little shadow, she's just like that.  She's what I imagined my kids would be like.  I am soooooo thankful for her.  She is always making me feel better.  When I'm mad and yelling, she ALWAYS says "I love you, Mom" and turns me around.  When I cry, she lays down and snuggles with me until I'm better.  Just one hug from her and my cares literally melt away, like sugar in water.  Of course I love hugs from all my kids.  But there's something magic in her hugs and I'm grateful for that magic.

     So that's my dare today.  I do have a bit more work to do that will be done while the kids are home, mostly reading.  Hopefully they get along tonight and I can still find time to play that board game with Baby Bee that she's been wanting to play.  I'll be back later today with a giveaway, so stay tuned!



Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.