{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}

 ~Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life, as inspired by the women at Like Mother, Like Daughter~

{Pretty}

A good friend brought us roses, clipped fresh from his garden, saying he’d rather see people enjoy them than leave them on the bush where nobody else would see them. We put them in a vase on our counter, in the perfect spot to catch the sun’s afternoon rays from the skylight. They’re withered now, but I can’t quite bring myself to throw them out; I can see them from where I write at the kitchen table, and, even drooped and drying, they’re lovely. I’m grateful for his generous example, and it has me thinking of the ways I can share beauty with those around me. Such a small thing, to clip some flowers and give them to a friend, and yet so thoughtful and kind, such a good way to bring a smile to someone else’s face.

{Happy}

Mothers’ Day here was simple, and lovely, and perfect. We had breakfast and went to church and then out to lunch. We came home for naps all around (which, truth be told, was the very best gift my girls could have given me). After everyone was awake, we took a walk together, enjoying the spring sunshine, and my big girl walked a good portion of it herself. Jonathan made a delicious grilled dinner: steak, and artichokes, and corn-on-the-cob.

{Funny}

Katie knows that the real purpose of phones is documentation – that is, they were designed primarily to record video and to take pictures. In the past, she’s used an old flip phone for the purpose, but this week, I decided to let her have a go with the real thing. In the space of eight minutes, she’d moved from the living room to my room to her room, and she’d taken 118 pictures. Here’s a smattering of our world, in the eyes of a three-year-old.

{Real}

For the most part, Katie does a remarkable job with her sister. She’s loving and kind, willing to help, happy to share. One of her favorite activities is making Abby laugh. Every now and then, however, she gets a glint in her eye, one that tells me she’s about to cause trouble. Exhibit A: the morning this past week when they were playing happily on the floor together. I was playing with my camera, trying to get some good shots of the two of them together, when out of the blue, Katie reached up and pushed her sister over. I saw it happening even as I pressed the shutter, but was too slow to put an end to it.

And, lest you think Katie is the only instigator of trouble, a shot that came mere moments after a nice selfie in which all three of us were (sort-of) smiling at the camera:

Those are the {pretty, happy, funny, real} moments around here this week. How about you? Share in the comments!

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