I originally wrote this blog post in October of 2022 when I was in Germany visiting my daughter Sarah. It is her birthday today and as I was looking through some pictures to put on Instagram, I came across this post. Reading it brought back the memories I wrote about and I wanted to republish it because I think it speaks to being in the moment and realizing just how special life really is. I love this little one so much and having in my life is one of my greatest blessings! Whether this is the first time you’ve read the post, or whether you remember reading it before, I hope it touches you and that you slow down and enjoy life a bit more!

In my last post, I wrote about being in Germany and really not having had the opportunity to do very much. I realized it was bothering me a little more than I thought.

On Thursday, I babysat for Bristol overnight while Sarah and Will went to a military ball! I was feeling a little sorry for myself for a minute but decided to use the time to really play with Bristol! It was such a beautiful day…the temperature was in the mid 60’s, the sun was shining and the air was crisp.

Bristol, and I put the leash on John Wayne and grabbed his tennis ball. We went outside to the playground behind their house and had such a wonderful time. We threw the ball for John Wayne, went down the slide, did a little swinging, took a walk and laughed…a lot. After, I grabbed my camera and took even more pictures of Bristol as he explored the acorns and plums that had fallen from the trees.

Sometimes, there is a gift right in front of you if you only take the time to look. Thursday afternoon was one of the best days ever…our time passed so quickly and it was such a blessing to spend time alone with my precious little grandson. He has the cutest personality, he’s very curious and so so sweet.

We had dinner together…he fed most of his to the dog, as usual, and then I got him ready for bed. After we brushed teeth and put on pj’s, I sat down in the rocking chair to read him a book. A beautiful, almost full moon was shining in the window as we read and when I looked up and saw it, I began to cry because I felt so very blessed. I showed Bristol the moon and he pointed and laughed.

Normally, he gets in his crib and goes straight to sleep, but on this Thursday night, I rocked him and looked at his beautiful little face as his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

Life is really about the little moments that we can create, or not…every single day.

As I write this, I’m sitting in my hotel room in Paris and we’re getting ready to start our first full day here. Paris is a very special place and I’m sure today will be amazing, but I’m not sure it will even come close to the unexpected day I had on Thursday.

I guess the moral of this story is that life is truly about enjoying the journey on the way to the destination. Live with intention, look for the blessings and don’t waste a single minute of your precious days!

Happy Saturday…