LMM's Guide to Joy

This will be more of a narrated pictoral guide to joy.  But before I plunge in to that, I have to share how joy got dumped all over me the other day!  My darling girlfriend, Becky sent me this handmade necklace, the other day, out of the blue.  (Many of you know her as the darling an talented, Farmgirl Paints.)  Getting an unexpected gift in the mail blows you away and carries you on a cloud of joy the livelong day.  (In case you didn't know that.)  Doo-dah.

I was getting ready to head out on a much needed date night with my man when this arrived.  Adrain and I don't get to go out by ourselves very often, and we had been really scrambling to make this night happen.  Let me tell you something.  Date night = Pure joy.  This gift just about made me cry but I didn't want to mess up my mascara.  (Side note- Messy mascara does not equal pure joy.)  Adrain took me to my second favorite date spot. It's a local Inn, where they were having an outdoor BBQ on a gorgeous evening, ocean-side, complete with live music and dancing. (Which in my world means, people-watching-and-dangit-I-left-the-camera-at-home.) It was so refreshing and I chose joy.  How could I not?

But if that's not an option for you, here's how to find joy, the Lemonade Makin' way.  

Grab your favorite hoodlums.

Grab their new, untested, but good quality kites. (Emphasis on good quality) Try not to think about previous kite mishaps.

Take them to a local windy spot. 

Don't forget to bring your favorite man. (Preferably your husband if you have one.)  They really come in handy.  I'll explain in a second.

Take in the view on the first sunny afternoon of the week.

Snap a million photos.

Lay in the grass doing nothing, while your husband runs back and forth between your hoodlums. (Told ya he'd come in handy.)

Watch as your child attempts the unknown on her own.

And then watch how fast your man shows up when she lands in trouble and in need of stronger hands to help.

Bask in the knowledge that your Heavenly Father jumps in to rescue you just as quickly has your man jumps in to help his babies.

Watch your baby master that thing, and make her kite soar. 

And when it's finally time to pack up, remind yourself out loud, that this day was full of joy. 

Now.  Go stand beside a giant fake Orca.  Tell your children to, "quit climbing on it, and stop getting so close to the edge of the dock," and for heaven's sake, "hold someone's hand," and "No! They can most certainly not jump on the tail," and for everyone's sanity, "would they please not walk into the road," and, "Ava, you can't pick the flowers because they're public property," and "Honey will you please tell that man trying to photograph our children that he can't?" 

Allegedly. 

Now, go photograph a statue's butt.

(I'm sure I should apologize for that.  But I'm not going to.)