I'm alive! And completion of the joy project, a little late

Hey y'all! I'm back. I know (or at least hope) this is exciting for my 10 readers. :) It might have seemed like I dropped off the face of the Earth, but I just had a trip back home to KY, followed by some major sickness that invaded my entire household. Thus, no time or energy for blogging could be found. 


Even though it is already January, I am going to hold to my promise of posting at least 100 joys for the month of December. Just because I didn't post them in a timely manner doesn't mean they didn't happen. Thank the Lord. Since I have, oh, about 88 left to post {sigh}, I'm going to list them in numerical order and try to condense them to one or two sentences so I'm not droning on for hours and hours. 


Here they are, in no particular order of chronology or importance:


13. Airports. I have always loved being in airports. They're so exciting. People coming, people going. Busyness all around and trips abounding.
14. Free cookies (for my son). He got a free cookie at the mall because the lady thought he was so cute. That makes me smile.
15. Reminiscing with family and friends. I got a great chance to do this back home and it was much needed. 
16. Watching little man pull his own suitcase through the airport. He's growing up. It's bittersweet.
17. Cooking with my brother. We've connected on this level for the first time. Totally cool.
18. Getting to spend an evening with my Mamaw Sue (that's my grandma for you who don't speak Southern). The one-on-one time was wonderful and not something we get often.
19. Saying "Merry Christmas" to little man on Christmas night and hearing back, "Merry Christmas to you." It melted my heart.
20. Hearing: "Mama?" Me, "Yes, dear." Little man: "I love you." This happens several times a day and I relish each and every time.
21. Crazy little Clarabelle, our new Great Dane puppy! She's already smart as a whip and very loving. She'll be a great best friend for the little guy.
22. Bjork. Because I'm listening to her right now as I type this. She is amazing. (I cheated.)
23. My hubs buying me tickets to West Side Story for my birthday and going with me. Love.
24. Seeing the hubs after being gone a week. I sure missed that face.
25. Watching the little man play with his cousins, which only happens once or twice a year. Good times that he deserves and will hopefully have many more of.
26. Laughing. A lot. Like pee-your-pants laughing. I do it often amidst family. It's nice.
27. Christmas ornaments. Weird, right? Not really. Many of our ornaments have sentimental value and are very old so putting them up and taking them down is full of memories.
28. The angel atop our Christmas tree. We've had her since we lived in Guam when I was in eighth grade. One of the most trying moves of my life, but one of the most beneficial.
29. The Talking Heads. They're so original. Again, listening to them now and cheating again.
30. Getting Christmas cards. I love getting mail and love seeing how families change and grow over the years. I keep them ... all of them.
31. Christmas with my in-laws. We had a good time. Always do. We're blessed for that.
32. A clerk played a rousing game of peek-a-boo with my son at the airport. She was awesome for doing that; it made his day.
33. A butterfly necklace where its wings are mine and my son's birth stones I got as a Christmas gift from my parents. I'll treasure it always.
34. MOPS and all the friendships/support it has brought. 
35. Christmas movies. Need I say more? Definitely a highlight of the season. Two of my particular favorites are White Christmas and Holiday Inn. Big, big fan of the Bing man. 
36. Signing up for ballet classes with some friends. Holla! 
37. Ugly Christmas sweaters. We have a party every year and they just keep getting better. 
38. The abundance of University of Kentucky merchandise I can get my hands on in Kentucky. I love my Cats! 
39. Chongs. If you're not from or have never been to my hometown, you won't understand. Let's just say the best Chinese food in the United States. Seriously. 
40. Singing "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bells" with the little man. We're a mean duet.
41. Getting to spend A LOT of time at home during Christmas and New Year's due to us all being ill. Another bad thing God turned into good. 
42. Making Christmas Story cookies with the little man. We're baking buddies. I ice, he sprinkles. That's how we do it.
43. Little man being nothing short of perfect on both our flights, both ways, despite some turbulence that almost made me need a diaper change. Mama was happy she didn't have to resort to those little bottles of comfort. 
44. Chris LeDoux. RIP Chris. A cowboy songwriter unmatched in talent and depth. 
45. Seeing little man laugh as my dad threw snowballs at the storm door. He loved it.
46. Babies! We have several babies in our circle of friends right now, and it's glorious! Can you tell my clock's ticking?
47. My Aunt Karla's chicken dressing. It's the bomb. I got my fill at Christmas. 
48. Our annual care package of candy that my mom, aunt, and grandma make and send to us. It's filled with love and all kinds of good things.
49. Disneyland! It's always magical, but it's somehow even more magical at Christmas, if that's possible. 
50. Sharing a birthday with my husband's grandma. I couldn't ask for a better birthday partner. Oh, and Britney Spears. She and I also share maiden names. Weird, huh?
51. Hawaiian shirts on my little man. He reminds me so much of his father when he's wearing one.
52. Entertaining friends. I love hosting, cooking, baking; the whole nine yards. 
53. Cirque du Soleil is bringing a long-term show to Los Angeles. Tickets are a must!
54. Seeing some People of Walmart in person while in Kentucky. Priceless!
55. Riding in my dad's snazzy new Camaro with my brother. It made me feel like we were kids again. 
56. Noticing "I heart JCPenny" written on the toilet paper dispenser in JC Penney. Two things here: I can't imagine having no one else to "heart" but JC Penney and if you must heart JC Penney, heart it enough to spell it right. 
57. A musical snowman that actually sang and danced to FloRida's "Low" in Bed Bath & Beyond. Seriously. I'm not joking. I only wish I was. Video will be posted for proof.
58. My dad digging out and cleaning up my brothers' Matchbox cars for little man to play with. Such a sweet gesture.
59. My husband getting an acoustic guitar for Christmas because now I get to learn to play it, too.
60. Being able to openly celebrate Christmas in a country where we're free and safe to do so.
61. Hearing my son sing along to my cell ringtone, "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley. It's too cute. He insists I let it play instead of answering the phone.
62. My son's mealtime prayer, and the fact that he NEVER forgets to say it. I could learn a thing or two from him.
63. The opportunity to have some heart-to-heart conversations with one of my brothers. It's refreshing that we've come to this point being so far apart in age.
64. The Pajama Program. If you've not heard of it, check it out. It's a very easy way to help.
65. Time for personal reflection and growth. 
66. The uncomfortable situations that cause personal reflection and growth. 
67. The opportunity to be a better me. The understanding that my life is not comprised of one song, but an entire songbook that I can improve as time goes by.
68. Christmas presents. Who doesn't like getting presents? I like giving them just as much though, and wait with baited breath to see that people like what I chose for them.
69. The income with which to exchange gifts and bless one another.
70. My husband's job, albeit sometimes very exhausting. The Lord has blessed us heavily.
71. The opportunity to fly and visit family. In this economy, that's not a luxury many people can still afford. 
72. Mine and my family's health. Being sick during the holidays was a great reminder that we generally enjoy good health and are tremendously blessed for that.
73. Spandex pants! Hee hee. This trend of spandex jeans/leggings really came in handy during this Christmas season with all the good eatin' around!
74. Big, baggy tunic sweaters and shirts are not to be outdone by jeggings. They help conceal that oh-so-gross dunlap. 
75. Playing Potato Heads (or "Toda Heads," as he calls them) with the little man. That's quality time right there.
76. Watching Clarabelle and the little man frolic together in the grass. She'll soon be too big for him to wrestle with, so we're getting as much in while we can. 
77. New births. It's a miracle each time God breathes life into a little one and we've been blessed to witness so many lately!
78. My home. Being away from it for a week reminded me that it's my haven, my place of comfort and rest. 
79. Kentucky basketball! I bleed blue and love this time of year for all the basketball I get to watch with my two guys. No haters allowed. Really. I will cut you.
80. Witnessing my little guy command Mamaw Sue to "swish" in the mall and her actually doing some weird, very white dance move with her feet. It's now known as the "swish" and we've all been made to do it. My dad was especially good at it. ;) 
81. The new Footloose knee slide little man has taken to doing down the hall. I don't know where he got it, but he's in love with it. It's so hot right now.
82. Brainstorming for little man's third birthday. I can't believe he's going to be 3! Where did my baby go?
83. The view from my kitchen window. It frames the majestic, snow-capped mountains. Now, to get up there for some snowboarding would bring more joy!
84. My marriage. As we speed toward 10 years of marriage, there's not a thing I would change. It's only getting better. Someone should pinch me.
85. The smell of lavender. It's my favorite scent. It calms me like no other.
86. Taking pictures. I'm still learning about my fancy schmancy camera, but I love it. Maybe a class is in my future.
87. Socks! It's strange. I get that. Every year, I look forward to winter so I can wear all kinds of funky, cute socks. It's the little things, right?
88. Hot chocolate. It's one of my favorite indulgences during winter. It's better with milk.
89. Peppermint ice cream. Yum! A December delicacy for sure. 
90. Christmas light cruising with my little family. I like sparkly things and cozy car rides.
91. Seeing my husband cuddle a friend's little girl and her falling asleep in his arms. A Daddy's always a Daddy, you know.
92. Christmas movie date night with the hubs. Good friends, good cheer, and one really cheesy made-for-TV movie that I now HAVE to see the end of because I'm curious like that.
93. It's A Wonderful Life on the big screen at our favorite little old theater by the beach. I cried like a baby. Gets me every time. 
94. iTunes gift cards! I love buying new music and am usually too cheap to buy it for myself.
95. Growth and strength in personal relationships.
96. Goals. This is the first year I'm actually excited about setting goals and seeing them through. Carpe diem!
97. Life. Specifically: my life. I wouldn't trade it. Not for nothing. Not for nohow.
98. Another year passed. Laugh lines that are a little deeper, a heart that's a little broader, and a memory that tries to hold all it's seen and tasted. 
99. A New Year! Another year in this life: to be a wife, mother, friend, and a light for Christ.
100. The birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.


God bless you all in this new year! May it be full of bountiful blessings, love, and joy!


Miss K