Simple Joys of the Year, 2018 Edition

This year was a doozy of a year. It felt like life was just handing us one challenge after another, piling it on and asking us, "Can you handle this? And can you handle this? How about this???"

I've felt pretty emotionally exhausted over the past [almost] 362 days, but as usual, what got me through were the simple joys that showed up on even the most devastating of days.

Sometimes those "joys" arose from being thankful for the absence of something worse ("Although Sayde's Charlie Mae attack was horrible, at least she didn't maim her permanently; although we lost the baby, at least it wasn't further along in the pregnancy...etc.), and at other times they came in the form of basic, sensory experiences that brought me happiness in the moment. Which is why I started #SJOTW in the first place (SO many years ago, now...).

So, celebrating the Simple Joys of the Year feels very important this year, because again, even in the harder years there is still so very much for which to be grateful. Here are a few of my overarching Simple Joys from 2018...

HEAR: Charlie Mae's communication development
Charlie Mae's language just exploded this year. Like both her mom and dad, this little girl has A LOT to say and isn't afraid to open her mouth. Her squeaky little voice is my favorite sound in the world and her funny phrases get me every time. Some of my favorites?

• When we do something the 'wrong' way:  "That's not how it dos, Daddy!" "
• When someone forgets something: "OH! Almost 'got!" "
• When she's having a hard time falling to sleep and someone goes in to tuck her back in and remind her it's nap time: "Let's try this again."
• When she gives me a hug: "We love each others." 
• When she's talking about feeling shy around someone: "I'm just feeling a little nervous of ________. It's okay to be nervous!" 

SEE: Ben's Basketball Training Business taking off
I'm not going to lie and say that Ben's side-hustle/second job didn't put a strain on our family this year (IT DID! We were already strapped for time together as a family and then Ben added hours of time away from the house each week!), but it was also wonderful seeing how happy + fulfilled it made him, how good he is at training kids (he's really good), and how much it reinvigorated him on a daily basis. I am so happy that he has found an outlet that he loves so much. 

TASTE: Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
We're a serious Sunday morning breakfast family and this year, we transitioned from being French Toast people to pancake people. Ben has gotten into the habit of making buttermilk pancakes from scratch every Sunday AM and I am NOT mad about it. Neither is Charlie Mae ;) Bring on the syrup!

SMELL: Sayde snuggles
As backwards as it sounds, all of the horrible events that took place around Sayde this year made me appreciate her more than ever. For the 5 months that we still had her while looking for her new home, I was able to be much more present for our snuggle sessions and QT together. Sure, those 5 months were also VERY hard, but they gave me time to accept the situation and to find the very best home for her possible. Her scent will always be one of my very favorite scents in the entire world. I miss her. 

TOUCH: Our Bed
We've done WAYYYY more traveling than anticipated this past year and while necessary (and fun, of course), it's been exhausting. However, the one constant every time that we return home from a trip has been our amazement at how comfortable our bed is; Ben and I can't even believe it. Often, the first night back in our own bed, we'll look at one another and say something like, "Have I died and gone to heaven? Am I resting on a cloud? Has there ever been anything that feels more amazing?" It's that comfortable. {​For those wondering, we bought a king Casper mattress while I was pregnant with Charlie Mae and I can honestly say that it was the best purchase we've ever made. 100% worth the $.}

And that's it for now! I've obviously experienced *so many* other wonderful simple joys over the past year, but I'll stop here because like I said, I'm exhausted and am ready to turn the page on this tough year.

Have a wonderful last weekend of 2018!