Pieces of Life. In Pictures

There are little pockets of my life that become so ordinary to me that I forget to remember how much they mean to me.   Every day, ordinary things that bring me pleasure, simplicity, peace, or companionship.   

I can't describe these things easily, so I thought I'd show them instead.  Pieces of life.  In pictures.

I love it when my fridge is full.   When the shopping and the schlepping are done, and each shelf is chock full of healthy (er, just ignore the Redi-Whip... and the chocolate sauce) fresh foods.   And that little container on the second shelf down, on the right?   Those are fresh eggs.   From our chickens.    I love that.

This is Coffee Corner.   Because one coffee maker simply won't do, I have two.  Because sometimes you want just one cup, a little pick-me-up - hence the Keurig.    But some mornings high octane coffee, and large amounts of it, are necessary.   Hence the 12 cup coffee maker.    And tucked on the left there are Tension Tamer and Sleepytime teas, to bring my frazzled nerves back to baseline in the evenings.   Heaven.

Why does this jumbled mess make me happy?   Because it's the Everything Drawer.     It never lets me down.  Where else can I put my hand on three different kinds of ointments or cold remedies, a plethora of hair implements, toothpaste, tape, thermometers, extension cords, light bulbs, missing lego pieces, chap sticks, pens ... well, you get the idea.    MacGyver ain't got nothing on me.

This is the Whiteboard of Certainty.   It is my new best friend.   I've complained on this blog several times that I have trouble with organization, but this little $12 purchase from Target has plugged most of the holes for me.  Each week, I write what I need to remember (where the heck are the kids?  who are we picking up?  when is soccer/girl scouts/basketball?  who is coming over?)  on the Whiteboard of Certainty, smack dab in the middle of my fridge where I can't miss it.   If it needs to be done, it's there.   And I just swipe a paper towel across it when it's completed, giving me the sense that I do, in fact, accomplish something on occasion.

This is Buddha corner.   No matter how crazy or messy the rest of our bedroom gets, Buddha corner always looks just like this - serene, simple, peaceful.    In the morning, the sunlight streams in through the window just right, creating the perfect spot for some quiet reflection before I start my day.   

My husband found this at a local consignment shop; it's an old typesetter's cabinet.   There are about thirty drawers, each with dozens of little compartments.   Each compartment is filled with semi-precious stones, pearls, crystals and charms, sorted by color.    It is my own personal paradise.  

A bunch of books at my bedside.  I'm always reading three or four books at once.   One can never have too many books.   Ever.

Our dog, Casper.   She's a nine year old Slovensky Cuvac (pronounced "chew-vatch").    Steve and I got her before children, the first year we were married.   She's getting on in years, now, and is most likely to be found snoozing in a sunny corner, sighing happily.     She is such an important part of our family, but all too often she gets forgotten in the hustle-bustle of life.   So these days we're trying to give her extra hugs, to remind her that we love her.  

Has there ever been a sweeter sight than your own sleeping children?   I love that even though Finn could have his own room, they still want to be together.   It won't be for much longer now, I don't think, so I'm soaking it in while I can.

And every night, without fail, I tiptoe into their room and give a prayer of thanks.   For everything, big and small, for all the richness in my life. 

Because it's important to remember.