Happy Easter! I know Easter itself was Sunday, but Easter is actually a whole season that lasts several weeks up through Pentecost. I wanted something cheerful to post today to continue the celebration of the resurrection so today is all about joy. I am thankful for so many things- my family, a roof over my head and food in my house, clean water, but I wanted to make a list that focused more on specific things I am thankful for that are “everyday” and bring me a deeply personal joy, even if they are joys shared by many other people I know and love. So without further ado:
1.Picnics
2. Fresh, spicy, homemade salsa
3. Watching my kids eat blueberries
4. When my kids reach new milestones that remind me of how the everyday actions I do now (like walking or reading) were huge accomplishments then
5. Sunshine
6. Hot coffee
7. Hearing “Mommy I love you so much”
8. Hearing my son say “shhh shhh shhh” to calm his little sister down as she’s falling asleep
9. The smell of freshly baked bread
10. Doing tree pose with my son
11. Seeing something newly sprouted in the garden
12. Unexpectedly hearing one of my favorite songs
13. Iambic Pentameter
14. Cold water on a hot day
15. Warm socks on a cold day
16. Loose leaf tea
17. Messy, happy hands and faces.
18. Freshly laundered sheets, still warm from the dryer
19. FaceTime or video messages from far away friends
20. Inside jokes
21. Stealing the time for an unexpected nap
22. The drive of wanting to read just one more chapter
23. Learning something new
24. Not hitting any red lights on a drive where you usually get stuck at them all
25. Hand written cards and other delightful physical mail
26. When your face hurts from laughing so much
27. Laughing at re-runs of my favorite TV shows
28. Kissing my sweetheart when he gets home from work
29. Resilience/Hope
30. Excellent vocabularies
31. Reunions
32. Candle lit meals- even if the meal is takeout pizza
33. Gifts you’d never have thought to get yourself but fit you perfectly
34. Anticipation
35. Writing
36. Making lists that begin with “finish this list”
37. Praying the rosary
38. Trying new recipes
39. A sigh of relief
40. A deep breath
41. Doing nothing for a little while.
42. Knowing I am done with the part of my life that regularly included standardized tests
43. Dance parties
44. Warm socks 45. Genuine apologies
46. Forgiveness
47. Surprising myself- especially with something my body wasn’t capable of a week ago or month ago.
48.Exploring a new place
49. The bedtime routine we have with our kids- what’s involved in the routine, the sweetest, tightest, most adorable hugs and kisses at the end, and knowing that a quiet, regrouping and reconnecting time is coming
50. Sleep

I hope you get to celebrate some of these everyday joys today! Any on this list that we share? Any simple joys that are more unique to you that you’d like to share?