Finding our happy.

My "happy" has changed over the years.

As a child, my happy might have included

dancing for an hour in class followed by a pink cookie and root beer,

playing with my brothers and their friends,

jumping on the bed and eating croutons,

road trips,

reading with my night light.

As a teenager, my happy may have been

getting asked to Homecoming,

finally succeeding at a difficult dance move,

performing,

Mi Rancherito with Lyric, Libby, Amberly, and Emily,

football games.

As I entered into adulthood, my happy included

staying up late with roommates,

going home for Sunday dinner,

performing around the world,

meeting new people,

being as super involved as possible all around campus,

getting asked out,

getting good grades.

Now, for the Mister and I, our happy has changed again.

My current happy involves

clean dishes,

painted fingernails,

my angel baby who falls asleep all on her own,

skype sessions with family members,

picture mail,

extra cash to put into savings,

drooly kisses and gummy smiles,

singing voice mail from my brothers,

laughter,

Brita water bottles,

a healthy lifestyle,

and most of all, being together.

Last weekend, the Mister had to work at 4:30 in the morning on Friday which meant that they let him off at 5:00 pm leaving the other anchor to handle the nightly news cast all on her own.  The minute he walked in the door we began our partying as this was the first Friday night date we've had in over a year.  We ate good food, wandered around our favorite book store, finally decided on a book for the baby, and stayed up late.  The next morning was supposed to be filled with church meetings but all were canceled and we were able to spend the morning together too!  We again capitalized on the moment and nearly ran ourselves ragged.  Mister was supposed to work at 5:00 Saturday night covering the UNM football game but they couldn't get clear transmission from Austin (where the game took place) so 30 minutes after leaving for work, he walked back through our door and announced that his schedule was clear for the whole night.  We, once again, threw on our shoes and got out of the house with our little angel in tow.

Ladies and gentlemen, that was the first 39 hours in a row that this new family of three has ever spent together, just the three of us.

And it was perfect.

Nothing in the entire world could have made me any happier.  

Suddenly I couldn't remember a single thing on my Pinterest wish list because all of those things are just things and I've been blessed with something even better.

Family.

And for me, family means

that I'm forgiven quickly,

that someone HAS to laugh at my jokes,

that I'm never alone,

that I always have someone to serve,

that I am remembered in prayers,

that I have two people relying on me for nutrition, cleanliness, and love (and it's always nice to be needed).

It means that I'm apart of something greater than myself.

It means that my new purpose is to create a happy haven where my husband and children want to be.

It means that I have the power to create the feeling or mood in my home...how I act is how they will act.

Most of all it means that God has a plan.

It means that He knew that simply being with each other could bring the greatest joy.

It means that He designed us to rely on each other, and to be relied upon.

It means that I have to work really hard every day at making a happy life for us because not much else matters.

I am completely convinced that if life is happy at home we can make it through anything.

So, I hope you can find your happy.

Most importantly, we must remember that it is not everyone else's job to make us happy.
We must find happiness on our own and we must, oftentimes, be the happy-maker for ourselves and for those around us.

So friends, go and find it.
Go find your happy.