Sunshine.

This afternoon was peaceful here at our house. While both girls were sleeping, I sat and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine spilling in through the window of our family room, gazing at the big tree in our back yard steadily swaying in the breeze. I've held out for a long time putting curtains up on that window because I love the natural light it brings into our home. 

There's just something so exhilerating about the sun. It brightens moods and lifts spirits. And though I love the distinct change of seasons Northwest Ohio brings, there are times I wish I lived in a place where the sun always shines, and there is never a drop of rain or cloud in the sky. If there ever were such a place...but then again, would the sun ever seem so sweeter than now?

These last few days I've been admiring my girls, not wanting to miss out on any minute of this stage in both their lives. There are these little moments when I wish I could just stop time and hold my girls there forever. 

But as with every stage of life, there comes both joys and challenges. And I'm doing my best not to wish away the joyful times along with the challenging times. Sometimes I find myself looking too forward to sleeping through the night again, or getting past the stage of toddler tantrums, or being able to travel without mutiple stops for feedings or diaper changes. And I'm reminded those challenges will not be forever. Which means my girls will not forever be this little, and that's a sad thought.

 So I'm learning to live in the moment, because I don't want to miss out on the now. And I know in every stage of life there will always be challenges, but the joy that comes with those challenges is far much greater. And just as the sun wouldn't be as sweet with out the rain, the joys wouldn't be as sweet without the challenges.

This video makes me smile: 

                                                    

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." ~Dale Carnegie