in which I explain myself

Well, dear ones, I am here to try again. After abandoning our other blog at the beginning of 2010, I finally decided to jump back on that wagon. But after some thought, I decided to create a whole new wagon. My hope is that this blog will, on a (somewhat) day-to-day basis, chronicle the small joys of our little life as a family.

My inspiration came from 3 places:

1. We had the chance to visit with some dear family friends during our summer trip to California. At the time, he was dying of cancer. As I sat in my parents' house that day and watched him with his wife, I thought about the strength of their love, tried and tested. I thought about their children, boys who would be losing a father much too early. I thought about my own hurts and heartaches, and how sometimes they seem to overshadow everything else. And then I watched as she deliberately chose to sit next to him on the couch, his arm around her, her hand on his knee. I thought about expressing love in little moments like this, about treasuring the good that God has given us - living life with the belief that each day is precious. Since then, he has passed away. May his memory be eternal.

2. Our priest here has given me some advice. He has reminded me (more than once) that the antidote to despair, to jealousy, to selfishness and self-centeredness and greed and pretty much all of the things I find myself battling in some form or another, is gratitude. So I plan to be grateful for the small joys and minor triumphs. I want to record some of them here. Which leads to my final inspiration...

3. I want to create a record - for my family and friends both far and near, for myself and for my children - of the joys of our days and the gifts that God has given us. Simple as that.

Oh, I have been given so much. And I am grateful.

P.S. If you've made it this far...I promise not to be so wordy on a regular basis. Tune in on Monday for something much shorter and sweeter.