Today I Choose……

When this mug was new, it said Today I Choose Happiness. Happiness was in this pretty gold lettering. Well, I’ve continued to put this in the dishwasher, and the Happiness has worn off. Now each time I have coffee from this mug, I think about what it is I Choose for myself for the day.

Yesterday I chose to Breathe, think about our new grand baby and get through the day.

New grand baby?? Yes!!

Rockwell (7 lbs 6 oz and 20″ long) was born Tuesday morning around 5:00 am. Mom and baby are healthy and they may get to come home tonight!

Daddy and Rocky…..

Thankful for Rockwell as it’s been a tough few days here and we all needed some good news. This is baby number two in our family born during Covid, so we missed out on that moment in the hospital waiting room pacing in great anticipation for the baby to be born, then the opportunity to be with mom and dad in the room and hold that sweet little guy.

I thought about that moment all day yesterday. I thought about all that is missing right now.

Tess and Manuel drove in from Dallas on Monday. While they were driving here, there was an hour by hour update on how everyone was feeling since Christmas Eve didn’t go as planned. At some point it became clear that getting together was not going to happen and we canceled yet another family get together.

So not only did we have to downsize our Christmas Eve at the last minute from 19 to 7, we had to cancel our big family get together scheduled for Tuesday night. That’s the big event for us. That’s the one where we all gather in the living room and I pass out 19 stockings that I spend the majority of December shopping to fill. Watching as each person pulls one item at a time out of their stocking is my Christmas morning.

Christmas was cancelled.

It. Is. Wearing. On. Me.

I’m so happy we were able to all gather at the cabin in October and have a houseful for Thanksgiving. These steps backwards with Covid the last several days have brought so much disappointment and put me in an emotional funk.

The last two weeks felt off and I wonder if somewhere in my mind, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. The 19 plastic bags with names written in sharpie on them, still remain in the basement in a box as we try and decide a clever way to give everyone their filled stockings.

Today as I sip my coffee from this brightly colored purple mug, I have to ask myself….

How will I choose to spend today?

We have a healthy new family member, Tess and Manuel are here, and at some point today and tomorrow we will get in a visit with my mom and dad.

Yesterday Mike was gone most of the day working and the three of us knew we’d be spending the day at the house.

Tess and Manuel decided to work on a puzzle and that started game day.

When was the last time you played Monopoly? The three of us agreed that we’d never played as adults. After a five hour game, we learned a lot, but may never play again. lol

I was the first one to bankrupt in Monopoly, so I opened my Trailer House and got to work.

I got outside the last two days for long walks and worked on filling my head with positive thoughts. Being outside and breathing in fresh air did help.

Surrounded by sweets now……I’ll freeze or trash anything left today.

Sorry for the downer post.

Today I Choose Happiness. Somedays that takes a very mindful effort.

“love the life you live, live the life you love”

8 thoughts on “Today I Choose……

  1. Lora,
    I’m sorry you had to miss out on some holiday get togethers as well. In the words of the Grinch, It stink, stank, stunk! lol
    One day at a time. Such a great motto for so many things in our lives.

    Happy New Year to you and hopes for family and friend gatherings soon!

  2. Congratulations to you, Julie! You reminded me that although it is the greyest, gloomiest (not coldest), but you get my drift, here in Massachusetts, I am alive and have so very much to be thankful. Yes, I did miss most of my family for the holidays, but hopefully, there is one in our not too distant future, that we can all be together again.
    *And not that I need to remind a WW Coach, but ‘How did you get to goal?’ Yup, ONE DAY AT A TIME and one lb. at a time! And THAT is how we will get thru this; being grateful for what we do have and optimistic for what we will have. Wishing you the best new year, even if it’s moment by moment.

  3. Renee, I am so sorry you disappointments as well. It is hard. But we will all come out on the other side. Hugs back and thanks for your continued support here on the blog!

  4. Lyra, I’m so sorry you had to cancel as well. It is hard. But you are right, we do get to choose every single day. Here is to a happier 2022!

  5. We had a Christmas full of disappointments as well, so I feel ya’. 😞 Hoping you can get together with everyone soon. Hugs.

  6. Oh Julie! I’m so sorry! What a downer after all the fun of decorating and buying stocking stuffers and prepping for your holiday meals and setting your beautiful tables. Yet I’m so inspired by your post and choosing HAPPINESS in the midst of all that disappointment. And thank goodness, a little ray of sunshine popped in Tuesday morning to cheer all of you! He is so adorable and I know you must be over the moon and excited to meet him. We will expect lots of photos, just so you know. And how wonderful that Tess and Manuel are finally there! Silver linings of the best kind!

  7. Thanks Julie. I so appreciate the “real” post. I re-read your description. No filters. We are all feeling a little sad. My niece and family cancelled the day before they were supposed to come visit for Christmas. That was hard. The idea of choosing happiness is a great one. Of course, we choose every single day. 🙂 Wishing you and yours health and prosperity in 2022. Lyra

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