Joy in this Journey

Find joy in the journey.  I hung this in my kitchen this past weekend.  Because I spend most of my life in that kitchen.  Because it's a good reminder.  Because it makes me happy.  Because sometimes I have a tendency to over complicate things, life.


Kids are also a good reminder to find the joy in the journey.  


Our long weekend was completely free.  Wide open, no commitments, no games, no travels plans, nothing, Nada, zero, zippo.  I can't remember when I could say that.  Maybe like five years ago.


Along with no plans, we also had no extra fun money. Nada, zero, zippo.  That meant no trip to the movie theater (which gets ultra expensive for a family of six and what the hell can a two-year-old see anyway?), no dinners out, no mini-golf, etc.  


I was beginning to over complicate my feelings about having no money to do anything spectacular.  Starting to get nervous about the fact that we didn't have a plan, who has no plans?  I started to feel guilty about the lack of extra money.


But then I surrendered to the no plans, the nothingness and opened myself up to a whole hell of a lot of joy.  And it was all free.


There was a nature walk on the trail near our house.  It was secluded, we were only joined by a couple bikers whizzing past and four deer galloping by us.  Yes, deer gallop.  And I must tell you, that part was horrifying and not joyful at all.  Even though I grabbed the baby and was screaming obscenities out of fear, my kids loved the deer sighting.  And I love when my kids are happy, so I'll live.

There was a neighborhood baseball game. The kids (JT and Lucy) designed the invite and delivered it to everyone on the street.

We all walked down to the fields near our house.  

Who got the game winning walk off hit?  

The only girl in the group, my sweet Lulu.  

"You should play softball sweetie, you are amazing," my husband and I gushed.

"No, I won't and you can't make me do it," she replied angrily.

We get it, she doesn't want to do any organized sport, dance, theater, etc.  

But for that moment right after the hit, she was full of joy.

As we sat down for dinner on Monday night, we asked the kids to tell us their favorite thing about the weekend. 

"All of it," said JT.

"Yeah, all of it," agreed Peyton while Lucy nodded along.

There is definitely joy in this journey. (And it doesn't have to cost a gazillion dollars.)

Even though we have a couple more weeks of school for the kids, summer is looking amazing.