Smiles

Sitting listening to the wind blowing through the trees in the backyard is so peaceful. The rain is tapping lightly on the enormous windows...the house is silent. Not a sound to be heard. The dogs are all asleep, the cat is in hiding somewhere and I am here alone. I don't want to move. I want to lay here all day and listen to these sounds.

I haven't remembered to stop this week. A promise I made to myself months ago...stop and relax. Enjoy the moments. You can't have those moments back.

I can feel myself smiling from the inside out today. Those are the best kind of smiles...the ones that start in your heart and soul and work their way through your veins until they reach the corners of your mouth. The warm smiles...they warm your soul. Those are the smiles that count. Those are the smiles that let you know you are so happy in your life. The smiles that make you feel blessed.

I am so not alone in my life. I have someone by my side that has fought so hard for me. And loved me like I have never been loved before. I can conquer anything with him by my side and he will always make sure that I do...the moments that I think that I can't, he reminds me of who I am.

I can be the strongest woman I know how to be.  I get that strength from the innocence I see in my children's eyes and the innate need to fiercely protect them from all things. I am blessed to have been given the enormous amount of tenacity that my parents passed to me. It's how I make it through all of life's challenges that get thrown my way.

Through love you can do it all. There's that warm smile again...