I Haven't Forgotten the Smiles

Two years ago, in an effort to spur myself to regularly blog, I started posting quasi-daily blogs about things that made me smile.  Mostly little things.  Often silly things.  But always, reminders of the many blessings I've been granted in this life.  

As with most of my grand ideas and projects, however, I've allowed sloth and distraction to knock me out of that practice.  I'll freely confess: I'm not posting this to reaffirm my commitment to daily smiley blogs.  I know better than that. And I hate making promises I won't ultimately keep.  Honestly, I'm just posting it because I have had more cause to smile of late, and I don't want to just take that for granted. 

So, before the causes fade and I forget to acknowledge them and simply be thankful, here are a few of the more recent smile-inducers:

• Riley in her panda hat.
• Texts from Riley on the phone I bought her for Christmas. (She's still 10 and mostly sweet, and there's nothing like getting an, "I <3 you mommy!" from the light of your life.)
• The fact that I have friends who genuinely smile back when they see me sporting a grin.
• The nudge I gave myself to abandon my comfort zone and the fact that it hasn't been catastrophic.  So far. 
• Being a co-host on the radio with my friend Josh -- I absolutely love that this opportunity was offered to me, and I've had so very much fun being part of it.
• I'm going to Florida in a few weeks - whee!!
• I get to celebrate the birthdays of two very dear friends both this weekend and next.
• I may or may not have a rodent residing in my car, but I definitely have an imaginary gopher friend named Sid. I'm somewhat fond of him. And the one person who'll get that joke. 
• Lunches and dinners and drinks with good friends.
• I've actually run twice in one week.
• I recently learned what the "T" in "James T. Kirk" stands for. 
• I'm blogging again.  

:)