Last year before Christmas I started working on my 100 things that make me happy project. With one assistant manager out with surgery, and working too many days in a row, I had to put my list on hold for a while (like about three months or more).

I had decided from the beginning the format for my list would be 100 pictures. As I began to make the list of the things that make me happy, I realized I would need to go back to some "beginnings" and "firsts", Like the first snow of the season, the first rosebuds, etc. While looking through already taken pictures, I came across one of me holding up our "first" daughter, Jennifer. I was 27, she was 6 months old. That was 31 years ago.

My relationship with Jesus is the first thing that brings me Joy/happiness, then the relationships with my family and others. Because of those relationships I am able to see delight in small things, like cooking with a five year old, listening for the hoot of the owl, the female cardinal weaving her nest and the first buds opening on the roses, the success of a small child in writing his name, or finishing a project that is difficult. There have been a lot of years and changes since that photo was taken. Picking out just 100 has been harder than I thought!

Today I'm going to add Peachy Cheap to my list of happy things. Check out the link on my blog, but beware, it's addicting.