Gifts

If ever there was a day that felt like Christmas ... it would be yesterday. I found small 'gifts' at every turn.

I started the day out by somewhat fulfilling a promise that I had made to myself. I finished (as much as I can at this point) something that I started. I did what I set out to do. The project still isn't wrapped up with a bow and sent off on its merry way. But it is so close. So very close. That felt like some kind of wonderful.

That done, I had some spare hours (okay, only one) to whittle away on the overwhelming book keeping project that I have been chipping away at this week. I didn't have time to complete the task, but what I did discover, is that I was well on my way. I tackled this project from another angle and I had the chance to see if it was going to make my job easier. And it will. Hip Hip Hooray!! That makes the next step (finishing the job in its entirety) a whole lot easier. I'm on my way!!

Then ... I had to ask my families to pick up their children early (about 15 minutes in most cases) so that I could run Kurt to our family doctor (he has had a case of hives that has lasted 8 days to this point). So not only did I get off work somewhat early (though I did bring one of my 'daycare kids' along with us to the doctor) ... but we got the green light that there is really nothing to worry about. I wasn't worried before we went to the doctor. But when something lasts this long, it's nice to check in with a professional. One more item checked off of my list-of-things-in-the-back-of-my-head. It's nice to tick off those items and toss them away.

That left the evening. My third night at the dance studio. This time for my private lesson, and a bonus of having it be an hour long (we doubled up because last weeks lesson was cancelled). What an hour. I never laugh so much or as whole heartedly, as I do when I'm at my dance lesson. It is truly a gift to spend time with a person who laughs at life. And that is what my dance instructor does. At least for as long as that half hour or hour lesson lasts. We tackled our new routine and it's more than halfway done (lots of work left to do ... but my feet sort of know where they are going). We ran through our old routine (lots and lots of work left to do there ... my feet, arms and body are quite confused throughout an entire section of this one). We danced, we laughed and the hour flew by. I left the studio thinking 'this is as good as it gets' ...

But it got better. I dropped by at a friend's house on my way home and spent the remainder of the evening wrapped up in the relaxing ambiance of my friend's home. It is a home that says 'family' in every sense of the word. This is a family that opens up its arms and adopts those who come their way. Another friend that I hadn't seen for 'forever' was also there, along with her grandson. Her grandson was off playing with my other friends nephews (whom she had borrowed for the evening so that the kids would have each other to play with). And we all relaxed and simply enjoyed a relaxed evening with friends mixed with family. So many small but precious moments. Many small memories to last long beyond the short visit.

One would think that would be the perfect end to a perfect day. But it wasn't.

The friend that I had just visited forwarded on a comment that her sister had emailed about something that I had written. It takes so few words to make a persons day. And my friend realized what a gift it was to share these words, which ended with best words of praise that I could ever here. Her sister wrote that I was ''as amazing as her sister''. Wow. If ever there were words that could make me feel that I was becoming the person I hoped to be ... those were it.

The day was wrapped up in small gifts. They arrived in every shape and form (I have neglected to mention a few ... but there were more). Even as the day ended, it was wrapped up with a bow and marked as a "Day to Remember".