Dear Reader:

After starting  the first day of the New Year on such a high note early Friday morning…actually a green note (stimulus check)… it was followed by an exciting request for baby sitting services the next day Saturday (yesterday) so John and Mandy could go pick up one of the “little things in life that bring us such joy“..Winnie– the adorable new addition to the family-(toy poodle)… all two pounds of her!

So I set my alarm excitedly for six yesterday morning…not knowing it would follow the saddest part of the first day of the New Year…the Clemson game. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep Friday night or early Saturday morning.

It’s hard to watch one’s  beloved team struggle so…and reap few benefits from all the efforts…but then as I crossed over the bridges to Mt. Pleasant around 7:00 a.m. yesterday…the morning sun burst through the fog and intermittent rain.

It took my breath away…one of life’s extras that never fails to mystify and justify God’s beauty while letting us know (through show)  just how good life is! Definitely a God Wink reminding me that all is right with the world and all is right with me, the Clemson Tigers… so smile and be joyful.

Clemson…I will love you forever…and what a year you had…more honors and awards than ever…while fighting a pandemic along with a grueling football schedule. You are an amazing team and never forget it. Your fans adore you!

As soon as I arrived at John and Mandy’s house they took off for the almost three hour one way drive to pick up Winnie. When they saw her they fell in love. (She had weaned early so we were a week earlier getting her than originally planned…and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.)

While John and Mandy were gone…. the kids and I were busily working  on posters welcoming Winnie to her forever home! We had a ball. I can’t think of any better way to forget Friday night’s sadness by welcoming new life and joy into the household Saturday.

Winnie went right to the children…and started playing…stopping to kiss them every few seconds…until she fell asleep next to them on the floor amid all the new toys the children had gotten her.

A awe-inspiring sunrise, a two pound little toy poodle…yes…the expression is true…”It really is the little things in life that bring us the most joy.”

So until tomorrow “Joy cometh in the morning” to remind us that life is bigger than daily life with all its ups and down…stop, take a deep breath and thank God for life in all its varied forms.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh