Happiness Reminder

I know that this isn't exactly a "photography" post, but I think that every once in a while I need a reminder about what is important. I, like anyone else, get caught up in the moment. That isn't always a good thing depending on the moment. I am still learning about life, something that I hope I never give up doing. But, when the going gets tough, I find it hard to always see past the silver lining of the clouds. This time, I am trying a new approach. Instead of becoming pessimestic, I want to remember the small things that make me happy. It's not about finding, "happily ever after," but about finding the moment that creates your "happy right now." There is no order to my list, just things I am remembering that have or will put a smile on my face.

1. My family. You don't get to choose your family. Even if I could, I wouldn't trade them in for anything. NO family is perfect, but my family is perfectly disfunctional. We have our ups and downs, but I know that when it comes down to it, we are ALWAYS there to step up, put our arms around each other, clasp hands, and unite. There is no bond quite like the Thomas Family. The following pictures don't even show all of us, but it is a small glimpse into the family that means the world to me!










2. Mason. I don't know that there are the right words to describe this kid's importance to me. As cliche as it sounds, he was God's gift to me. The day he was born I remember standing over the top of him in his teeny, tiny diaper, taking his little hand, his little fist took my one finger, and I was in love. I never stood a chance. His very existence amazes me, he has taught me what unconditional love means, and there is nothing better than his laugh. His eyes are so intense and so innocent; I have sympathy for the first girl who looks deep into them because they will be lost forever, not that any girl will ever be good enough for him. His smile will touch you to the very core. I am not the same person since he came into my life. Forever my Bubba!







3. My Mom! My best friend, my confident, and the one person that knows me better than anyone else. If anyone knows me at all, they know that I have a relationship with my mom that is unbreakable. I have never met a person that is more giving than her, or who has taught me about life like her. There are days that I couldn't make it through if I didn't have her supporting me in everything I do. A best friend and a mother, all in one person - I am a lucky person!

4. My Friends. I don't have a large circle of friends, but those I do let in are friends for life. People I don't have to pretend around, that laugh with me and sometimes at me, that will cry with me, and that I can depend on. Loyalty is something so important and once I have let you in, I will be loyal forever. Like my family these are only a small portion of those important people, but it does give you a glimpse.

The first 4 are the most important parts of my life, and the things I can truly depend on. The next things are really just the "small things" that make me happy! It doesn't take much, all it needs is to provide just an instant of happiness and I'm hooked.

5. A new purse
6. Flip Flops
7. A long walk on a warm day
8. A picture of the sunset
9. Laughing so hard that you cannot breathe
10. A text from someone special
11. A good book
12. A rainy day
13. A good cry
14. Holding hands with someone that makes your stomach do little flips
15. A first kiss
16. Falling in love for the first time, the second time, etc
17. The fact that I have fallen in love, had my heart broken into a million pieces, and put myself back together again
18. For a moment, there was someone that wanted to spend their life with me, the feeling of having that person get down on a their knee, tell me that they wanted to grow old with me, and placing a beautiful ring on my finger.
19. Knowing that it was just a moment, that he wasn't really the one, and again surviving through a heartache
20. The sounds of sneakers on the gym floor
21. Being called Ms. Thomas, Coach Thomas, and my favorite, Auntie B
22. The sound of a crowded gym, the whistle of the ref, and basketballs on the hard gym floor.
23. A new outfit that makes you feel like a hundred bucks
24. Being a teacher, and knowing that I have made a difference
25. Diet Coke
26. A sun tan
27. Falling asleep in someones arms
28. Hugs, big bear hugs
29. Sand between my toes and the sound of the ocean
30. Pictures
31. Inside jokes with your best friends
32. Communicating with your best friends without ever having to say a word
33. Singing loudly in the car
34. Dancing in your house, with your friends or just wherever you are
35. Hearing I love you
36. The butterflies I get walking down Main Street at Disneyland
37. A movie that makes me cry
38. Lit candles in a dark room
39. A glass of wine
40. Reality TV

Believe it or not, this list could go on. When I started this list I wondered if I could get past the first 10. Mission accomplished? Yep! I think so. I feel better about life already. It puts the negative in a day into perspective. Now, this is a game I could get used!