Pause..and be Happy

I wear a small necklace with the word "psala" engraved on it.

 In Hebrew it means "to pause."  I look at it often as I put it around my neck. 

 It reminds me as I go about my daily activities to stop and recognize what I am grateful for, to be more aware of the beauty  around me.  

In the summer, as I water my flowers it reminds me to stop and look at each one and be grateful for its different shape, color and height. 

 I think how each bloom adds to the beauty of my garden.  

The word reminds me to see the differences in my grandson's as I spend my days with them,

 or the little boys that I teach in my sunbeam class. 

 They all have unique personalities, with different things they want heard. 

 Everything these kids say makes me laugh,

and there might come a day when they will find their friends more interesting than their old grama.  

So I soak everything they have to say and do up.  

It is nice to "pause" and be grateful for these quieter, sweeter days.  

It's been cold and snowing quite a bit. 

 I so want to lay in the sun and feel its warmth on my skin,

yet the snow brings a greener garden and sweet smelling grass. 

 So when I spend my days in the pursuit of happiness it is good to just stop pursuing, 

to pause and just be happy.

Dear Old Friends..

Yesterday I called my friend, Pat, and asked if she would like to run around with me for the day. 

 I needed to find a clock for my family room and a few things to spiff up my home going into the new year.  Soon after ten in the morning we were off to see what we could find. 

Of course being with Pat, we found ourselves wandering through the after Christmas sales. 

 (Pat is the all time best shopper)  

which, although I love to be with her, is one of the other reasons it is good to take her along when you shop. 

 She has shopped for bargains for so long, that it is like they call her name.

  I knew if she was with me I'd find just what I needed, and for the right price.

Did I say we left at ten in the morning?  

Well close to three in the afternoon my son, Nick called me on my cell. 

 "Where are you? "he said. 

 I told him Pat and I had made our way at that point to Tai Pan.  

We had our carts full.

  His response was " I'm worried for the other shoppers, with Thelma and Louise on the loose!"  or something to that effect. 

 Thelma and Louise we aren't..but wonderful, good old friends we are.  

We left Tai Pan with almost nothing as we realized the full carts didn't have anything in them we really needed. 

 But, as I dropped Pat off at her home late in the afternoon, 

I had a full heart. 

 How grateful I am for this dear friend. 

 We have raised children together, gone through broken hearts together, planned and carried out parties together, served together, laughed together, gardened together, become grandmothers together, we were young together..

and now we are growing older together.  

We take care of each other and understand one another. 

 There is nothing better than a dear, dear, old friend.

DeSpain Family 2013 What a Wonderful World

To my family. Thanks for a wonderful year.  You have Blessed my life.
Love, your mom and grama