Memory Lane

I've had some emotional days this past week. And I know the days around the corner, with school starting and the chaos that is Fall in our home, will be emotional days as well. Not bad days. Just big days. Harder than normal days.

I woke this morning, wanting to really ENJOY this long weekend. Really TAKE IN all the little things about Summer that are good.

The family time, the lack of commitments, the outdoor dinners.

I realized I was craving the simplicity these next few days will bring, in part due to the stress that was behind and ahead. It reminded me of a post I wrote a couple years ago, and I thought it would be perfect for today's Memory Lane.

_______________________________________________________________________

Sandwiched, Simply
originally blogged, April 15, 2010

Today is a good day.
A sunny, do nothing, beautifully easy day.
But it's sandwiched between two yucky days.
Candace's 35th Birthday and my Granny's Memorial Service.
So today's sublime simpleness gets trumped.
LAME.

I started thinking about how that's totally unfair.
How today should be able to stand alone.
Not be swallowed up by the emotions of yesterday and tomorrow.

But then I started thinking about how being Sandwiched can be beneficial.
When being "smooshed between" makes a thing better than when it stands alone.
Like ice cream, or peanut butter & jelly, or our family.

After dinner when the kids are playing, Mateo and I like to sneak off to our room for a snuggle.
We have fun timing how long it takes before the kids find us.
(On Tuesday we got a whole whopping 1 minute and 57 seconds ALONE.)
They come running down the hall giggling and saying,
"I bet they're kissing! GROSS!"
Once on our bed with us, we take turns making Megan, Molly & Wyatt Sandwiches.
Mom & Dad are the bread.

Family Sandwiches are my favorite kind of sandwich of all.

Today my sister is in town.
And our baby niece was just born.

Two things that are awesome standing alone!
But because they are part of today,
Sandwiched between my yucky days...
They are made even more awesome and bring even more happiness.

They bring my focus back to the simple.
Back to what's really important.
Back to finding the good in everything.

This is what's on the chalkboard in our dining room right now.

And LOOK at those blooms fresh from the garden!

I wish you could smell them.

Talk about simple happinesses!
Beautiful Sisters
Healthy Babies
Fresh Flowers

YEP.
As Martha would say,
Being Sandwiched is a "Good Thing."

So I'm focusing today on the simple and the sandwich.
Making THIS for Book Club tonight.
And realizing that two yucky days make today,
Worth Celebrating!

______________________________________________________________________

So...what are the simple things you will enjoy this holiday weekend?
Is it harder to enjoy them when they are sandwiched?
Or easier?
Or both, but more gratifying?
I'm still working all that out, two years after writing this post!
Happy Saturday, friends.