Author Archives: Melissa

happiness

Tea party and family games

My sister and her kids are down visiting for the weekend. I love that our kids are getting to know each other on a regular basis instead of once or twice a year as part of a rushed visit. Those cousin bonds are special, I am forever thankful for the lifelong friendships I have with my cousins (and I have a lot of them, spread out all over Canada, the US and Italy) and the tight bond I have with my sister.

We sat down for an impromptu tea party this afternoon. Jacob and I had bought an angel food cake and some strawberries yesterday and everyone had been eying them with hungry stomachs ever since we put them on the counter. When we could take the anticipation no longer, we declared it tea time and sat down for a little pig out. Tea, cake, and sharing stories – a great afternoon break.

Speaking of pigs, after supper we played our favourite weird family game – The Stinky Pig Game. My sister gave it to me for Christmas and we have been playing it ever since. It’s a weirdly addictive game of hot potato where you pass around a singing pig who eventually farts. Whomever is holding him as he gasses gets a token, and this goes on until all the tokens are gone. The loser (or winner depending on how you look at it) is the one holding the most tokens at the end of the game. It entertains us all, the toddler, the preschooler, the tween, the teen, the 40 something parents, and the Nana – all of us howling with laughter as we throw the singing pig around the circle.

These kinds of happiness moments are what makes the memories we carry and the bonds we create as we go through life. How blessed are we that we have these people to laugh and share life with.

Standard
happiness

Apple Care

I spent a long time today on a chat with the customer service people at Apple Care. I have a few things that I needed assistance with regarding my account – one of them being that I’m finally switching from US to Canada. After 8 years of downloading all of our shows, apps and music I wanted to make sure I was doing the transfer properly.

I ended up having to get the assistance of two different people, and I was so impressed with their help and their patience. They went out of their way to make sure I understood what to do, and provided me with a lot of assurance that things were going the right way (there was more to it than just a country switch). Actually, every single time I’ve had to deal with Apple customer service (and I’ve done some really dumb things to my computer that I’ve had to humbly go in and get help with), they have always been so great about not only fixing the problem, but making me feel not embarrassed at all by whatever happened that led me to needing their assistance.

I am always so impressed with the random kindness of strangers. There is a lot of good and love out there and I’m discovering that as I focus on those things I’m attracting a lot more of it into my life. I left my chat session with a smile on my face, feeling deep gratitude for the way they had worked through my issue with me. My happiness moment.

Standard
happiness

The whole night through 

Last night I was feeling exhausted and I went to bed early. In my perfect life I’m asleep by 9, although the last little while it’s been a bit later. Last night though I was sound asleep by 8:00. I woke up at 5:00am completely unsure as to whether it was morning or not. I couldn’t believe it when I checked my clock. I usually have difficulty sleeping through the night.

 I have a great bedtime routine learned through Ayurveda, but I find that pain usually wakes me up once or twice and makes me move around a bit. As I’ve been making changes, letting go of stress and things that no longer serve me, I’ve been relaxing more and that pain is lessening. 

I slept the whole night through. I felt amazing and that early happiness moment set me up for the rest of the day. I am never sure where this path I’m on is heading, but I’m sure enjoying walking along it. I feel like finally I’m attracting all the love and joy I have been seeking. 

God gave me a good morning high five in the form of this lovely sunrise. This was the view from my front door. 

  

Standard
happiness

Quiet time 

My little Jenna has spent the last couple of days with a bad tummy ache. She hasn’t been able to keep anything down and is generally feeling rough. 

While that’s not a good thing, I have been reflecting on how fortunate we both are that I’m able to be here to care for her. It gives her such great comfort and security to have me around, and there’s nothing in the world I want more than to care for and be with my monsters. 

My happiness moment was watching Golden Girls cuddled up with my girl today. I love this kid. 

Standard
happiness

I’m on my way

I live my life through theme songs. The one that has been showing up for me lately is The Proclaimers I’m on my way. It sums up how this past year of mindfully walking my path towards happiness has been. I’m on my way from misery to happiness today (uh -huh uh-huh u-huh uh-huh yeah). I may not be at my final destination of bliss, but I’m on my way. I’m a lot farther down the path than I was a year ago.

I had a moment of gratitude for my life as I was driving home from the school drop off this morning. I am so happy to be living back in the fold of my family and my tribe.

the view on my morning commute today

God blessed me with a spring like day today. It was 10C for most of the day, and even though it was a Chinook, it wasn’t that windy where we are. I got to celebrate my birthday in the sun and with loved ones surrounding me.

Jenna asked me what my happiness moment today was and I was trying to describe how I felt about the day to her. She said so, what I’m hearing from you mommy is that you’re happy because you have so many people around who love you and are kind to you and make you feel happy and safe. That pretty much sums it up. My happiness moment is just that. I have attracted an awesome tribe that surrounds and supports me from both near and afar (I love my birthday on Facebook. It’s always so heart warming to receive all the happy birthday wishes from friends and family whom I’m not able to see in person).

My people also have a great sense of humour. This card from my cousin created laughter that came right from the belly. I am so incredibly thankful for the people I have in my life that hold me up and make me laugh.

My thought as I move into this new year is that I’m on my way. I’m really such a better version of myself. I’m happier, I’m more capable of dealing with life’s ups and downs, I’m safe and secure surrounded by an awesome tribe of people.  All of that makes me more able to share love and kindness – to create safety and peace for those around me.

Standard
happiness

And so the sun sets on this year 

Tonight is my personal New Year’s Eve as I finish off another trip around the sun. A year ago tomorrow I began my journey to happiness with this blog. When I go back to the early days of my happiness journey I am struck by how much things have changed. I was so desperately seeking happiness, but I was so lonely and afraid and unhappy. Now I am surrounded by loved ones, less afraid, and so much happier. I love my life being back home, grounded into our roots, secure in the love of our family and friends.

There has been much joy over the past year, reuniting with old friends, strengthening bonds with family, walking happily out in the fields at the ranch, and living in a place that makes my soul feel complete. There has also been a lot of sorrow, losing my dad, and learning to let go and surrender (still working on that one).

Through it all, I am filled with immense gratitude. I have a blessed life and I am surrounded by wonderful and loving people.

I had three happiness moments today. First I heard Jacob describe his day of snowboarding at Nakiska with his school. It was his first time on the slopes and it seems to have been a resounding success. Secondly, my nephew had his surgery and is back home recovering. Thirdly, I had some wonderful visits with family that made me feel strengthened and loved. I am so thankful for my tribe.

 

 

Standard
happiness

Back in the arms of love

Today’s happiness moment was easy peasy lemon squeezy. I started the day with hugs from my two favourite people. 

The three of us are a pretty tight unit and we aren’t used to spending much time apart. While they were very well cared for, it still is better when we are all back together. 

I thank God every day that he gifted me with the care of these two rays of light. Being their mom is the greatest part of my life. 

Standard
happiness

Vroom vroom

  I’m sitting in the Denver airport waiting for my connection home. As I was waking from one gate to the next I passed this little dream machine. I do want it to zoom up and down the hallways with. Oh the fun that would be had. It would be all the better if  it comes equipped with flashing emergency lights. I had a great happiness moment thinking of laughing and zooming. 
If you can please send a prayer or healing light or whatever you believe to my almost 16 year old nephew tonight. He’s in the hospital awaiting hip surgery. He is a deeply loved child of God and we all want him to have a healing journey. 

Standard
happiness

My hummingbird charm 

The other day I wrote about the little chapel I discovered while out walking around Old Town Albuquerque.  For some reason I was really drawn to that space. I had been feeling kind of upset and just being there had really calmed me and brought me back to feeling peaceful and grounded.

Yesterday I was wandering about looking for little souvenirs to take back for the kids and I came across a small hummingbird charm. Hummingbirds and I seem to be very drawn to each other. I am fascinated by their small size and yet their ability to travel long distances, the way they fight with each other (way more aggressively than I would have thought), and their simple beauty. The charm was only $2.50 and for some reason I was compelled to purchase it. It came with a little quotation about the spiritual meaning of a hummingbird:

When you see a hummingbird it is very lucky indeed,

because it is known as a healer if you’re ever in need

Despite its small size it flies great distances and even flies backwards too.

A reminder to have faith and enjoy all that you do.

It seemed to be a perfect reminder of where I was at in my life right now. Learning to have faith and enjoy what I’m doing is kind of my theme at the present moment.  I bought him, the lady put him in a tiny ziploc bag and I brought him back to the hotel. For some reason last night I moved him over to my purse, even though I intended to pack him in the suitcase. As I looked at my little bird in the bag, I thought about how he looked like he was suffocating the way he was locked inside that plastic. I felt upset about this, but I wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. I didn’t want to take him out and lose him, I had planned to put him with my special rocks at home.

However, when I was standing inside the chapel today looking at the small gifts and letters that other people had left there, I was compelled to take my little bird out and place him with the other offerings. I sat for a while holding him, seeing how I felt about leaving him there. All of my feelings seemed to guide me to the realization that this was where he was supposed to be. For whatever reason my little hummingbird did not need to go home with me, he needed to stay right there in that chapel.

So, I found a nice little spot for him in a pinecone, said a prayer of gratitude and I left.

My moment of happiness today.

Standard
happiness

The bicycle with red flowers. 

Something about this bicycle caught my eye today as I was out walking around Old Town Albuquerque. I had to stop and stare at it for a little while. 

What kind of person do you think rides around town on this bike with red flowers  in the basket? I’m guessing they’re the kind of person I want to sit down and share a cup of tea with. 

I imagine a happy, whimsical person pedalling down the road on this bike. Maybe even gliding down hills with their head back in laughter and their feet stuck out to the sides. It’s the kind of bicycle that would have a name. 

My happiness moment was spent today imagining the person who belongs to this wonderful bicycle. 
 

Standard