Day 78

"The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us." Ashley Montagu

I was ambushed by a sprinkler today. 

My boyfriend and I found ourselves with almost an entire day to spend together. He's been so busy lately rehearsing and getting ready for his tour, that days like this have been rare. So we spent the morning taking it easy, sipping coffee, making breakfast, and hanging with our dog and Kat (the human one!). Its a stunning Southern California day outside and we thought we'd enjoy it. We set up the Cornhole tables (bean bag toss game) in the front yard and moved our coffee sipping to a sunnier location. He beat me twice. And just as I was about to pull ahead in the third game, Mike noticed we had a good amount of ripe lemons on our tree. We took a short break to clear the tree (otherwise the neighbors will descend and pick them clean) and Mike took the bunch inside. 

I was waiting outside, eyes closed, just soaking up the sun, when...BAM! Sprinkler attack! Instantly, I was five years old and running around our yard on Plum Lane with my brother and sister. The biggest smile stretched across my face. Mike returned to the scene and laughed as he watched me frantically try to clear the Cornhole board from the water's path. I have this picture frozen in my head of him laughing in that moment, with little drops of water spraying into the frame. We both laughed and moved inside to wait for the sprinklers to finish their job. As we moved inside, I could feel all the little water droplets on my legs. I had forgotten that feeling. I love that feeling. 

Day 78: I am grateful for those little surprise moments of joy. The ones that just sneak up on you and wash over you with a wave a happiness. They can take you back to certain place and time...or they even just stop you in your tracks and let you really sink in to this moment. Here. And now. And somehow today, my little surprise moment of joy was both. And I am grateful.