A time for joy.
The verandah is old and needs some work.
I don’t mind.
I kind of like it.
It’s a bit like me, a little bit broken but functioning just fine.
The breeze swirls around me.
It’s refreshing
and
after days and days of rain,
we are all outside.
I’m feeling reflective and grateful as I watch the children play.
Mal is on his new bike.
He pedals up and down the yard, no training wheels at all.
I can’t believe he has learnt balance.
I watch him in awe.
The girls are doing their own thing.
Reading, listening to music, petting the small sausage dog.
AJ is perfecting back flips on the trampoline and
Noah and Ivy are in the sandpit.
David is relaxed and happy.
The sun envelopes us in rays of not too hot.
It has been a lovely day.
Tonight we are planning a BBQ feast.
Christmas time has been wonderful this year.
A little bit sad,
yes,
a little bit stressful
but lots of happy.
Ivy has celebrated as a well child for the first time since she was welcomed to the world.
She wears the little bag that holds her IV antibiotics constantly.
It’s just a tiny reminder though
that we are not quite there yet.
I sit on the verandah
and I think
that I never want to forget
the joy I am feeling on this day,
at this moment.
If I could package it, I would.
Save it up somehow.
I hold on to, and cherish, those moments where everything is full and joyful. They get me through the less than wonderful moments. Like today when I was at the hospital (I’m fine – shingles) and Riley was losing the plot because post ICU the poor thing is a little hospital-phobic.
Beautiful photo by the way – I like the look of that verandah – it looks well loved.
I was thinking along these lines about my own kids, last night when I was sitting out in the backyard watching my 3 yr old daughter in her wading pool (pretending to be a ‘penguin in the bush’!). And today we went and bought my son a ‘proper’ pair of black lace up school shoes for when he starts secondary school on Feb 1st.
Sweet melancholy.
Oh, and I REALLY wish we had a verandah. We had a great back patio area but knocked it down to build the self contained unit on the back of the house for my Dad. We will have a patio area again when the reno is finished but not as big (or as nice) as the one that was originally there. But then we used to look out on paddocks with the occassional cow munching away but now we have a 6 foot high fence and nothing but houses out there…
Love that verandah! Yay for a healthy Christmases
You SO deserve a Christmas that is happy, relaxed and wonderful! AWESOME beyond belief to hear that Ivy celebrated it as a well child! There is MUCH to be thankful for this Christmas!
Lovely, just lovely.
Happy holidays/ Happy New Year
May 2010 bring us better health, the resolution of old problems, and lots of FUN.
Glad you had a reasonable Christmas. lol Barbara from Boston
Rejoicing with you for your wonderful Christmas!!!! Praising God that Miss Ivy was so healthy:-)
Christmas & it’s aftermath always gives us the time to reflect & count our blessings, to be at peace & feel happiness and then to ponder, with renewed hope, with the advent of another New year, what life may have in store for us & ours. Verandahs are the absolute best places in fair weather (or foul for that matter) for such musings, especially when there is the joy of contentment all around. We need to hold onto that with all our might to tide us over whenever needs be. xoxo
Now that is what Christmas is all about!
Just beautiful Tiff. I love verandahs too.
I’m so glad you had such a wonderful day. I love those kinds of day… where I never want it to end and I could go without sleep for a week if that ONE day would just keep going.