Tagged by Barb: Love (My Life) Thursday

For those who don't know who Barb is, she's the absolutely wonderful, saintly woman whose blog I have been reading since she started it. She is witty and joyful and quirky and sometimes, her life is crazier than mine which makes me feel so validated. Anyway, I love Barb to death! (I really do love ya girl, and I'm not just saying that to win your meme contest!)

So Barb posted this wonderful list today that she calls a Joy Rush List...read about it for yourself, it'll truly warm your heart:

So, the thing is...blog: Love (My Life) Thursday

Then, she tagged each of her readers, challenging us to create our own Joy Rush list. Sooooooo.....without further ado, here's my attempt at LaDonna's Joy Rush List:

1. Hugs from my girls...I love hugs from both of my girls, but for incredibly different reasons. Paige's hugs are few and far between (because she's "that age" where hugging your parents is just NOT cool) and so when she voluntarily gives me a hug, it feels like such a gift. Marissa, on the other hand, is still young enough to be a snuggler...not as often as when she was younger, but she WILL snuggle with you. Since she's my baby, and in all likelihood, I won't get another one until I have grandkids, I treasure every hug and snuggle since each one may be the last. (You just never know when "that age" is going to strike!)

2. Singing the high notes...Those who have known me for a long time know my love of music and singing. This year, since I decided to go back to school, I had to forgo church choir, but last weekend, I went back and joined them for the last Sunday of this season (my church choir takes summers off). When I sing with the group, I always get to sing the highest parts and I can't tell you how much joy I get out of that. There's just nothing like hanging on that note and hearing the ring after the director cues to cut off. The feeling is like soaring through the sky without ever leaving the ground.

3. North Dakota...When we move to Seattle in 2000, I never would have imagined how much I'd miss North Dakota, but I guess when you're born here, it just gets in your blood. I can totally identify with those penguins that go back to the exact spot where they were born every year to mate, because once we were gone, the pull to come back was so strong. And how could you not love this?

4. My mom and her sisters...They are just about the nuttiest group of women I think I'll ever meet. The older I get, the more I feel like they are my own sisters, rather than my mom and my aunts. Of course, the youngest is only 10 years older than me, so when I was growing up, she really was that older sister I never had. And when all six of them are together, the laughter is never-ending, especially when they start their Tim Conway impersonations! (Right Marjean???) Here they are...don't they look like a fun bunch???

5. The Seattle Waterfront...yes, I know, I just said how much I loved North Dakota and I do! But Seattle wasn't a horrible place to live. In fact, if our family was closer, we might have stayed. And my favorite place of all in Seattle is the waterfront. The energy of the place is just infectious with sites and smells and sounds that completely accost the senses. Pike's Place Public Market (you've probably heard of the Fish Market there) is a gigantic flea market where the fresh cut flowers, organic produce, ethnic food of every kind, homemade jams and jellies, roasted nuts, and a wide variety of arts and crafts are perfectly complemented by the street performers and bustling crowds. Then the waterfront itself is an amazing collage of specialty stores, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, Seattle Aquarium, the old fashioned carousel, and of course the view of Elliot Bay and the ferries. Here, take a look for yourself...

6. Mike's sense of humor...if there's one thing that has never wavered in the past 13 years it's my dear hubby's ability to make me laugh. Here he is (on the right) with my brother-in-law playing with my niece's birthday presents at her birthday party last summer...

We all laughed non-stop over this one for hours!

7. Marissa's approach to life...my baby is going to be a force of nature when she grows up. Not that she isn't now, but when she learns to channel her talents and abilities, there won't be any stopping her. She approaches everything in life with such exuberance and joy it's hard not to share that joy with her. Whether she's singing or dancing or playing or just being Marissa, she throws herself fully into every activity. She also has a social confidence that I never could have had at her age...there is not a social situation that makes her scared, nervous or shy. She'll get up in front of a church full of people and sing a solo at the top of her lungs (and sing it beautifully, I might add) or she'll walk right up to a new group of kids making friends with them instantly. Watching my baby girl as she tackles each new challenge just makes my heart swell with pride and joy.

9. Paige's growth this year...with Paige, elementary school was - well, let's just call it a challenge. Between her struggles with ADHD and a reading disability, she hated school, hated studying, hated homework, hated it all. I would often get calls and emails from her teachers telling me that she was throwing temper tantrums, fighting with other kids, or just being generally disruptive. Going into the 5th grade, she was reading and just barely a 3rd grade level and couldn't write a full sentence. After finally getting her into special ed (don't get me started on why it took until FIFTH GRADE! UGH!) and changing her ADHD meds, she made good progress throughout the year, but I still wondered how in the world the child was ever going to survive middle school.

This year, she started 6th grade at a wonderful public middle school with the most supportive staff I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Between her "team" at school and an amazing child psychiatrist, she has made some truly spectacular strides this year. Now, at the end of 6th grade, not only has she caught up to grade level in her reading (the child who wouldn't even look at a book a year ago has finished the first 5 books of a series called Warriors by Erin Hunter since December) and the behavior problems have completely disappeared, but next year, instead of special ed language arts, she will be in a mainstream English class. Her IEP has been scaled back because she just doesn't need as much support anymore. Last week, I went to a meeting with her teachers and case worker to plan for next year, and every one of her teachers praise her growth and development this year both socially and academically. I'm so proud of my girl and how she's becoming a mature, responsible young woman.

10. Singing in the car...both of my girls have inherited my love of singing and they both are as fond of country music as I am. Whenever Carrie Underwood comes on the radio in the car, all conversation stops and the radio gets cranked up loud so we can all sing at the top of our lungs. I can't wait until the day when the girls can hold harmonies all by themselves!

11. Reality TV shows...yeah, OK, I'm hooked. I especially love the good social competition shows like Survivor and Big Brother. I get practically giddy when one of my favorite players makes an especially good strategic move.

12. My job...I can't help it! I love my job! And I love my corporate giant company!

13. Pictures...I just can't get enough! I take pictures of everything at home, at school, at work...sometimes my kids simply BEG me to put the camera down!

14. My laptop...I don't go anywhere without it. Call it a security blanket if you want, but it's how I like to spend me-time. Yes, I work on a computer all day long, but I love to unwind by web surfing or digital scrapbooking or posting on message boards.

15. My house...for a long time, Mike and I didn't know where we wanted to call home. My job moved us from Bismarck to Seattle and now back to Fargo. For more than 11 years, we rented apartments. Some were very nice, but I just never felt like we were putting down roots anywhere. We bought our house a year and half ago and every time a walk through the front door, I still feel this great sense of relief and joy to know that this house is mine.