Do you remember those old commercials? For "Prince Spaghetti Day?" Wasn't it on Wednesday? Well, no matter. Because pasta night at our house is Wednesday and tonight it was good, old-fashioned spaghetti with meatballs. For me, pasta is comfort food at it's finest. And I needed comfort food tonight. Comfort and joy in a plate full of spaghetti!
At the start of my daughter's teen years she hung with a crowd I wasn't thrilled with. And she never wanted to be home, let alone invite her friends here. But she has grown. Her circle of friends has shifted. She is now friendly with a group that is wonderful. She is happier. She's back to the joyful girl I remember. And she has her friends over all the time. They're here, now, as I type. Laughing, giggling, having a wonderful time. Sure, it's her little brother's bedtime and it's a little crazier here than usual. But all I have to do is remember the time when she never wanted her friends over - a time I didn't enjoy. Yes, now, tonight - there is joy in a house full of teenagers.
I put my family on notice. It's time for clutter patrol. I hand them each a bin or a laundry basket and we patrol the house for clutter. Sunday night is my favorite time to do this because that means I'll start the week with a house that is (mostly) in order. So, today I'm breathing a little easier. Things are picked up. Put away. And it makes it that much easier to vacuum, dust and deep clean the bathrooms and kitchen. Ahhhhh, the joy of clutter controlled.
Peace and quiet. Peace around the world. Just peace. I want peace. I pray for peace. I try to live peace. And today I'm wishing everyone some amount of peace. No matter who you are, no matter what you are experiencing, there is always joy in peace.
My husband and I had a date this morning. No plans. Just tool around like we used to before kids. Discover a new place for lunch. Explore a quaint little town about 30 minutes away from where we live. Stop in little shops. Visit subdivisions and imagine what it would be like to live there. Talk. Dream. Discover. I love date days. The joys of reconnecting.
We had another family movie night tonight with the Princess Bride - a classic. My 17 year old daughter even switched plans with friends to join us. A picnic of homemade pizza, salad, popcorn and Twizzlers. All of us munching on a blanket on the family room floor. My husband and I giggling at the subtle jokes. The boys jumping when the eels appear in the water. Our daughter re-living her "childhood." Such fun. Such joy!
I used to be a swimmer. A competitive swimmer. Complete with 2 workouts a day, weight training. Short course in the winter. Long course in the summer. Five AM workouts before school. Sometimes logging in over 10,000 yards a day. Those days are long gone. Believe it or not, I miss it sometimes. I still swim occasionally. Not as often as I'd like. In my old age I've found that swimming is therapy to me. The rhythmic strokes. Going back and forth, up and down the pool. My head is always clear after a swim. And today was no exception. Joy in swimming after all these years.
