Things That Make Me Happy

When I think about St. Patrick's Day, I think of rainbows, pots of gold, and green.  While these are all symbols of St. Patrick's Day, they are also things that make me happy.  Even though I know that rainbows are technically just a reflect of light, they always make me think of God's promises and new life.  

As I think about the direction our country is heading, I am reminded of how easy it is to focus on what's going wrong in our lives (and world) instead of what is going right.  Adding a family to the equation can make it even harder.   We often get so busy with everyday tasks that we forget about the things that truly matter.  It's important to remember the things that make you happy.  It's easy enjoy the big stuff, like holidays and vacations, but it's sometimes hard to enjoy the little things.  We are always in such a hurry, that we often forget that it's the small stuff that brings us the most joy.  

Here are a few things that make me happy:
Sunny days
Rainbows 
Flowers blooming
Watching my girls chase butterflies
The quite when everyone is sleeping
Reading
Watching the sunset
My girls laughing
My girls playing together
A clean kitchen
A clean house
My bed being made
My morning coffee
Date night David
Easy bedtime
Cooperative kiddos
Uninterrupted showers
Waking without an alarm
Visiting family
Catching up with a friend
Freshly bake cookies (or any dessert)
Eating cookie dough
Eating ice cream
Playing at the park with the girls
Hanging with David and the girls
Pajamas parties with my family
Cooking with the girls
Fresh cut flowers
Finding things on sale
Saving money
New clothes
Clothes fresh out of the dryer
Family walks
Walks by myself
Getting off work early
Watching the girls at dance
Making a dinner that someone enjoys
Extra hugs and kisses from my girls when I'm leaving the house
Snuggles on the couch
Hearing "Mommy, I love you."
When clothes fit better
Random compliments
Receiving packages in the mail
Crafts from my kids

I could go on and on.  There are so many things that make me happy and I'm sure your list is equally long.  I think that the key to being happy is to make sure to treat we treat ourselves with at least one or two of the things on our list every day.  I guarantee that it will make for a better week and a happier life.  We need to remember the true meaning of a rainbow.  Promises, new life and happiness.