More JOY

Yesterday I posted about photo related Joy… today… just Joy in
general.  On my drive to Hannibal Missouri last night I heard a song
that made me think.  It's a country song by Brad Paisley about this guy
who is writing a letter back to himself when he was in High School and
there is a line in it when he says "Have no fear, These are no where
near the best years of your life".  I started thinking about what were
the "best years" of my life and I came to a conclusion.  For me, it's
always current.  I LOVED high school… at that time, those were the
best days of my life…. I had a blast in college…. at that time,
those were the best days of my life.  I had a couple of wonderful years
after college.  I was working and traveling all over the country.  I
had no house, no responsibilities… at that time, those were the best days of my life.  Then I met Otey.  The day we got married I really though there was no way I could ever be happier.  Then we had Cooper… and I was positive
that those were the best days of my life.  Now with my business
growing, Cooper happy and healthy, a perfect husband, and my miracle
baby about to arrive… I am absolutely sure that these are the best
days of my life.  I guess this is all a good thing.  I pride myself in
living in the moment.  No stressing about next week… next month…
next year… and I think that it's that attitude that has allowed me to
make every portion of my life the "best" so far.  I think that is the
secret of real joy… being content in the moment.  Content with
yourself, your family, your job.  It doesn't hurt that I can find joy
in some of the kookiest things in life.  Here's a list… why?  Because
lists bring me joy.

1. Using up a full bottle of toothpaste.  It's like you really accomplished something. 

2. A very clean house.

3. The way Cooper smells when he gets out of the bathtub.

4. Turning on to Gobin Drive (the road I grew up on) after a six hour drive to my parent's house.

5. Driving with the sunroof and windows open at night.

6. The smell of fresh cut grass.

7. The feeling of crispy stinky-ness when you have been swimming all day and you are driving home.

8. When Cooper yells "Dadddyyyyy!!!!" when Otey gets home.

9. VERY long showers

10. Clean laundry that is put away

11. Comments on my blog

12. The huge photo grouping hanging on my living room wall from our family session in December.

13. The way Cooper dances and sings and yells "shake your body!"

14. Surprising anyone with anything… especially gifts.

15. Holding Cooper when he's asleep (that happens like once every other month now).

Random sidnotes… Magic the pony arrived at our house last night.  My
Dad and my nephew arrive tonight.  Otey is on his way to Texas for the
weekend.  Me and Coop are still in our jammies at 10:24am.  A photo I
stole off my friend Kari's blog…  Otey "THE FISH SLAYER" and his monster fish he caught with the Mason's over Memorial Day weekend in Marshall.