Simply Tuesday, and thoughts on being happy

It’s hard for me to find words in this stage of life right now.   

Our farm is expanding, and with that, my list of responsibilities grow.    Most days, I find it impossible to think and form coherent sentences or even get my brain in the place where the words will flow.  I just get up and do what I have to do to keep our home running.   

  I get frustrated because writing is my way of thinking. I can’t think unless I write it out. My brain is so jumbled up with random thoughts that I need to get out but I can’t.   I try not to be irritated. I know that this is just a phase. Life will go on. I will find my words again.  

  I reach for my camera even more these days, because the pictures say what the words cannot. They show that I’m still here, trying to find the beauty in our everyday life. That I’m looking for the joy in the small things.   Photographs are my love language. That’s what I love about instagram. It’s a place for me to catalog the moments that are special to me; the pictures are the highlight and most need no explanation.  

  When I look back over my feed, I smile because these are the things that matter to me. I can see abundant beauty and joy, and it’s why I continue to photograph life’s seemingly mundane moments.  

  Obviously, our moments aren’t all pretty. My life isn’t perfect. But I don’t need a reminder of the mess, I live in it daily. I need the reminders to look for the good in all of it, because when I look closely, I find it’s there too, hidden in between loads of laundry, sweeping the floor one more time, picking up endless piles of toys and clutter.   

  This blog is an expansion of that my instagram catalog; it’s a story to go along with the pictures.   I’ll admit that I share mostly for myself right now, but also perhaps to inspire others to see that life is beautiful, but you have to look for it.   

  My secret to living a more joyful life? (Even when going through hardships-job loss, vehicle failure, pet/herd animals dying, basement flooding. Yes, all of that and more has happened over the last few months.) Discovering that for me, true happiness is tucked into the little moments that make up our day.  

  Going for a walk. Picking out a book and settling in to read.   

  Taking pictures of our crazy animals that really don’t like me.   

  Petting the dog and cats.  

  Seeing the sparkle in HarperLinn’s eyes when she laughs.   

   Sharing a meal with my family or a friend.   

   A good cup of coffee or tea.  

  Listening to the sound of rain gently tapping against the window.  

When stop and look, you’ll discover that these little moments are pockets of joy scattered throughout our day, waiting for us to pick them out and put them all together. And when you do, you realize, they really aren’t so little after all.   

p.s. it appears that I’ve found my words today 😉