Finding the Joy in EVERYTHING.

Since the mid-west (which unfortunately includes Iowa) has reached "arctic freeze" conditions this week, we have found ourselves staying in our pajamas all day long, finding showers completely unnecessary, turning our brains to mush with an unmentionable amount of TV watching (we watched "How to Train Your Dragon" twice in one day.  In a row.), and basically becoming my dad's worst nightmare.   

(He hates lazies.)

And so, that leaves me very little to blog about... 

Or so you would think.  

But in fact, it has given me the opportunity this week to slow down, take a deep breath (not too deep though - remember, I haven't been showering), and find joy in everything.

For example, 

I found joy in Iowa's beauty. 

 Freezing cold or no freezing cold - you have to appreciate Iowa's nostalgic beauty. 

I adore these simple towns where people wave to complete strangers and you feel like you just stepped out of a scene from "It's A Wonderful Life." 

(P.S. When Luke gave me directions to this tiny town that he's doing a rotation in, he literally wrote on the paper, "Get off the freeway, turn left.  Go through town.  Turn right on some street.  Hospital is on your left.)

I found joy in Swiffer Sweepers.  

I'm not being sarcastic.  

 Swiffer Sweepers really do bring me joy. 

 

Especially when I'm not the one using them.

I found joy in a broken vase.  

 

See, I've never really liked that vase.  

And now I get to buy a new one.

I found joy in totally unscripted moments where I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right camera settings.

(And I found joy in tutu's.  But that's nothing new.)

I found joy in accidentally dripped chocolate that reminded me of something and made me laugh. 

 

(A balloon... of course.)  

I found joy in grocery shopping.  

YES.  

Grocery Shopping. 

 

You try spending 3 days straight inside a 900 sq. ft. apartment and then tell me that grocery shopping isn't fun.  

Cause it is.

(The kid-sized carts didn't hurt either.)

I found  joy in a fridge so full with caramel apples that I had to stick some things out in the snow on our patio. (This could also be filed under the heading of "Finding Joy in Iowa."  Yet another reason the single digit temperatures have come in handy.)

 

At least it's not empty.

I found joy in this picture.

 Despite the fact that Aubrey looks like a homeless orphan (I was not there to remedy the situation), I adore this picture.  And these girls.

I found joy in the pee that was left on my counter.

 At least it was in a container.

I found joy in this hat.

 So, so much joy.

I found joy in snowflakes.

 I probably made 100 snowflakes and wanted to make more.  

Luke told me I was obsessed.  

Like that's a bad thing. 

I found joy in watching my girls give their ponies a haircut.

 

They turned out absolutely stunning.

I found joy in a rainbow of fruit,

 muffins with completely unnecessary decoration,

 a baby shower brunch,

 a super sweet and beautiful girl (who I'm only slightly jealous of),

 and amazingly cool friends who keep me sane. 

 Well, more sane than I would be without them.  

(Seriously, it's a good thing they're here.)