Things That Make Me Happy...An Exercise in Happiness

I know, two posts in one day.  What is happening to me?!  Must be in the mood to write.  Maybe that means that fall is setting in and it is the season for writing and reading blogs. That, and I always write more when I have the most to process or express. My friend posted today about things that she liked and things she didn't...just two simple lists but they spoke so much.  I loved the idea.  But instead, I'm just making one list of things that make me Happy...and just the process of making the list is something that makes me happy.

Things that Make me Happy:

• Crisp fall days with blue skies, sunshine, changing colors, and kids happy to be starting fresh in school 
• 1.5 hours all to myself two days a week where all three kids are in school at the SAME time 
• Morning runs where I'm coming back from injury but yet I look down at my watch and see my easy pace faster than expected and feeling effortless
• Being able to try again when we fail at something
• Learning and growing from life...the good, bad and ugly parts
• True Love
• Friendship with no expectations and unconditional love
• Seeing my kids try new things for the first time
• Hearing my middle daughter play the piano
• Seeing my girls score goals in their soccer games
• My son's giggle when he is causing trouble and his most joyful laugh when we pin him to the ground and tickle him
• A clean house
• Coffee in the morning by myself
• Wine with girlfriends that can just stop in without plans or only in response to a simple text of "come over" 
• Even better...a wine date via e-mail  with your girlfriend who lives all the way in MN
• Friends who will take you to a coffee shop just to listen and let you cry and let you just lose yourself.  And then will still be there the next day and the next to love you as you come.  
• The same friends that won't think you're bipolar (I promise I'm not...ha!) when they come over only 4 days after the huge cry to find your face shining and smiling and hear you laughing like they remember from before. But instead they will just smile with you and be glad for you to have running in your life again to help you process and pick yourself up.   
• Fridays
• My husband and I looking at a house online and both agreeing that it is our dream home even though now isn't the time for it. And it probably won't be that particular house. Just nice to have the same tastes and dreams for our future.
• The freedom to express myself with words
• Songs that tell a story or capture an emotion so perfectly  
• Funny people who make me laugh
• Laughter
• Watching my daughter fall in love with writing and reading and LEARNING.  And finding little kid notes and stories all over my house.  
• Trees
• Sleep
• Waking up in the middle of the night to see my little girl so happy and peaceful in her daddy's arms...both of them with heavenly smiles on their lips, obviously so happy to be near each other.  I love this even though she woke me up when she weaseled her way up into our bed in the middle of the night.  :)  
• Picking up my kinder from school and having her take a running jump into my arms.  I know the day will come when she won't want to do this.  I'm so glad it isn't now.  Sweet days.  
• New possibilities and always believing in the power of making our dreams reality 

I could go on and on with this list.  Making a list like this has left me smiling. Similar to listing gratitude...such a powerful exercise in helping us change our perspective on things...or just saying THANK YOU for all that we have that is GOOD.  And when we recognize these things with gratitude and love, we almost always get more of them.  

I would love to hear a few things that you love...first few things that just pop into your head when you comment (IF you comment...I know, I know, I've been so so bad at commenting back lately so I'm surprised that anyone still reads this thing).  Love and Happiness are contagious...I love reading what people are thankful for, what makes them happy or what they love.  So, in either a comment or a post of your own.....TAG, you're it!

What makes you Happy??  First 5 things that come to your mind.

Amanda
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