3rd Week of Advent

3rd Week of Advent - JOY

Ah, the pink candle is finally lit. In our Advent journey, it seems it will never end, or at times, that it is going by too quickly. This week is dedicated to JOY. What joy there is, in the waiting!

Our Serious had her birthday yesterday, and as requested, unicorns had a serious presence. There was a moment during dinner that was just too priceless to not mention. She had requested nuts as a side for her birthday dinner, and having some pecans, walnuts and almonds on hand, I simply put out a bowl of these mixed nuts.

During dinner, I noticed Serious not eating the nuts on her plate. I asked her, "Why aren't you eating the nuts? You did ask for nuts with dinner, right?"

She leaned in to whisper, "Mom, I don't really like these kind."

I leaned in too now, and asked her, "What kind do you like?"
She said, "Cashews."
"Oh, no, honey, I'm sorry, I thought you just wanted any nuts, I didn't know you wanted cashews, I would have gotten some for you."

She put her hand on top of my hand, and with a real maturity, said, "Mom, it's okay. It really is. I didn't want you to think I wasn't grateful for what I got. So I didn't tell you what kind."

"Honey, for your birthday, Mom will get what you want for dinner, okay? You just have to tell me, it's ok for your birthday, that you get what you asked for."

She nodded, and asked, "So do I HAVE to eat these?"

I took a quick swipe at her plate, and ate her pile of pecans for her. With a full mouth, I said, "Eat what?"

These are the precise moments that I treasure. In all the excitement of her birthday, she worried about being grateful. I simply adore that. She is a deeply thoughtful girl, even taking a good solid moment to contemplate her wish before blowing our her candles, and after each gift being unwrapped, she came to bowl me over with hugs and kisses on my cheek.

How I have waited for these types of moments! How I wish they'd never pass!

The waiting, the hoping, the wishing, the anticipation of these moments, that bring that inner JOY, is just a sampling of what is yet to come.

Happy 3rd Week of Advent!

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