It's the little things...

Sunday was Grandparent’s Day. I am quite certain this day was created by greeting card executives and as such went largely uncelebrated by our family. However, while doing my weekly grocery shopping at Wal-Mart on Saturday I noticed they had bouquets of pink and purple daisies. Surprisingly, I have found that Wal-Mart’s fresh flowers are not only beautiful and inexpensive but they are also long-lasting. I grabbed a bright pink bunch that only cost $4.00. The “sale by” date was 9/18. Based on this I knew they would look great for well over a week (probably close to two weeks!) and decided to get them for my parents.

I am always looking for little ways to tell them thanks for being such a big help to us and this seemed like the perfect thing. I made them a card with Peter and Sarah’s picture on it at mycardmaker.com. and put the flowers in an unused utensil canister…you know one of those things that sits by your stove holding whisks, spatulas and wooden spoons. I have so many of these nifty little items that I graduated to a larger utensil holder last year. The old one was sitting unused in the basement and was the perfect "vase" for the pink daisies. The kids took great pleasure in presenting my parents with the card and flowers and wishing them a happy Grandparent’s Day. Although Sarah seemed a little disappointed when she learned there wouldn’t be any birthday cake!

As I was arranging the flowers, there were a couple of daisies that were too short for the vase. I put those in a tiny juice glass and placed it on my kitchen table. I’m not sure why I did this. I guess I didn’t want to waste two perfectly good daisies because they were too short for the vase. Or maybe it was because I thought Sarah would be excited to find two PINK daisies in front of her place at the table or maybe it was because I thought the table could use a little color. Whatever the reason, I am so glad I did. I have gotten so much pleasure from those two little pink daisies.

I have enjoyed them as I have wiped the table clean after meals. I have enjoyed them while getting crayons and paper for my kids who decided they just had to draw a picture right before time to leave for preschool. I have enjoyed glancing at them while sitting at the table reading the longest book ever for my book club.

As a stay-at-home mom I am often too tired or too busy to enjoy the small pleasures in life. The hugs from my daughter, my son’s hard to follow knock-knock jokes, laughing with my husband while watching “The Soup” are all simple things which I am trying so hard not to take for granted. I guess I just needed two pink daisies from Wal-mart to remind me of the sweet, simple goodness God has given me.





"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."-- Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957, Author of "Little House on the Prairie")