one joy.filled moment
The scene: She was tucked into bed for her nap. A story read. Stuffed animals and blankets gently placed around her. I walked down the hall to finish up Week 3 of Project Life, and inpired by Ali's post of photography tips, took my album outside to photograph Weeks 1-3 to share with you here (which will now happen tomorrow).
I moved the chair across the cement floor so I could stand on it, and after I snapped two photos, the blinds inside her bedroom window moved and a face suddenly appeared. She looked all around until suddenly finding me standing on the chair frozen as though not moving would cause her to decide to lay back down.
After two seconds passed, we both started laughing.
I walked over to the window and snapped a few photos, capturing this one of her dimple and sheepish look of joy.
Ninety minutes later she is sleeping again (after one show please + one story + one more please + one or maybe three drinks of milk), and I've moved to taking photos of my album indoors and letting go of quite a few things on the to-do list.
Choosing to see the joy.
This is how I create space for more patience and love in the midst of toddlerland. This is how I fill the cracks in my heart. This is how open up just a bit more. This is how I find myself surrounded with so much beauty in the midst of the stuff that makes up this life. I do this again and again because at the end of the day, when I take a few moments to just notice, a version of these words so often comes to me:
*****
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liz lamoreux
Reader Comments (13)
this child just makes me giggle.
i can't get over how she has changed since my last visit.
You definitely have your priorities straight! Your nurturing skills are ubber on track. Cleaning the house be damned! Just came here from Instagram and today's post illustrates well how valuable your time is. XxOo
One of the favorite photos of her to date, so adorable! I remember those days of not going down for a nap and wish that I had had the patience at the time to see the beauty in the moment and not become so frustrated.
She is a beauty!!! I bet your heart just exploded with joy when you saw her face.
Ohhhhh. Her little face just made me smile big.
What a precious snapshot moment...thank you for sharing. They grow up so fast...it seems like yesterday that my 21-year old was this age. Now she's grown and living away at college. I wish I'd used my camera more back in those days!
I love this post, Liz and the joy in this moment you shared with us!
That's so sweet. And I have totally done that freeze thing, but possibly never standing on a chair, that's a whole new level of awesome!
oh my goodness Liz what a precious story and what a beautiful little girl. She looks so big and grown in that photograph.
Savoring the moments, seeing the joy in them...yes, yes, yes. We all need to do that. Thank you for the reminder.
just beautiful. so sweet.
this made me smile today. :)
What a beautiful gift to all of us! She is so delightful. Thank you for the joy.
i cannot get over the sweetness in her eyes.
and the sweetness of this story...