happiness is...

a new kitten.

Yeah, we got one.

Couldn't help it.

It just seemed like the thing to do.

Mali is keeping Mr. Swanson in her room.

Paul was thrilled with the whole idea, ha.

Mali found Mr. Swanson on craigslist, so we packed up the kids and went on an adventure. These roads are less than twenty miles from our house, these unpaved dirt roads. Camille thought we were near, "camping". This kitten lived in a house in the woods with a few other kitties and a pug dog. He isn't so afraid of Rosie, but Rosie is afraid of the kitten. She keeps barking and going into her cage. This is going to be fun.

And without getting into all the details, let's just say Mali needs this kitten right now.

I guess I shall just make a Happiness Is list...

1. The kitten, of course. After my camera battery charges, I shall take too many pictures of the adorable Mr. Swanson. He looks like a husky dog, with the white face. He is gentle and sweet and Mali is deeply in love.

2. Not bleeding anymore after bleeding for so many days and days and days.

3. These two window air conditioners. It is in the high eighties today, and extremely humid. So we closed up the windows and turned them on.

4. Paul. I don't know how I managed to get so lucky. We aren't always on the same wavelength, but we are simply crazy about each other. We do not fight, although we don't always agree. We both just know it is better to humble oneself and have peace than to be right. We love each other and want the best for each other. And I just got a kitten when he didn't really want one, and he took it so well.

5. My neighbors. We have lived here for nineteen years, and never talked too much to the neighbors. I was busy, ect. But lately, since the guy down the road is trying to open this race track, the neighbors have been so friendly and talkative. I took my walk this morning, and the guy down the road came down his driveway to talk to me, then called his wife out...we stood there for a half hour talking, ending only because Paul was texting me asking me if I was okay. They invited me to stop over anytime. They are retired, and lonely, and SO nice.

6. Fresh tomatoes from the garden. I just made the ultimate sandwich: One slice of whole grain bread, a tiny bit of mayo, almost a whole tomato, warm from the windowsill sliced up, a some sliced turkey, and four or five sour cream and onion potato chips crunched up on top.

7. Cantaloupe from the garden, along with yellow squash and green beans.

8. Diet drinks. We stopped in this nice little store up near where we picked up Mr. Swanson, and this store has the BEST bakery, it is all one can smell, that fresh baked donut/rolls/bread smell. Now, carbohydrates are my enemy and my true love, so this is a suffering to me to wander through this store, in search of kitty litter and kitten chow. So I picked up a can of Arizona Half Lemonade/Half Tea Zero. No calories. Cold and refreshing, no calories. I also got some new apples, yay for new apples, too. No bruises, just crunchy goodness...

9. Losing a few pounds. The number I saw on the scale is a nice one, I did see it about a month ago when I was going strong in the Weight Loss department. It was nice to see it again after only two days of doing my afternoon exercise.

10. Veggies, in general. I do not eat them for their nutritional content, but because I can eat large quantities of them for very few calories.

11. Being able to stand firm in temptation. I am not the kind of girl who can say no to a donut, yet I find I can suffer and do it. It feels good in a strange sort of way.

12. My kids. These guys appreciate life. When I announced we were going on an adventure to get a new kitten, they whooped and hollered and were ready within minutes. I told them they had to stay in the van while we picked the kitten up, so they owners wouldn't change their mind about giving one to us. But when Mali and I came down the porch steps with Mr. Swanson, the noise from that van was deafening.

13. The church we are a part of. There is no way in this world I could raise my kids to be the adults they are becoming without the church. This weekend, nine of them are over at the youth conference, having fun and being built up and encouraged to fight the fight of faith as they return to school, to fight against the lusts of the flesh, flee youthful lusts, say no to sin. There is nothing more beautiful in this entire world than when one's children grow up and follow God because they want to, are faithful because they choose to be.

I am sure there are many more.

Yesterday afternoon I baked cookies for the first time in a while. There is a group of Norwegians who were going to be at the conference center last evening, and I wanted to send some chocolate chip cookies over to them. So I made a triple batch. I did eat lots of cookie dough, but only one cookie. Now they are totally gone, phew. I also made four pizzas with the help of Miss Camille. She likes to get her hands in that flour, and to spread the olive oil on the pans...and the cheese, she stuffs it in her mouth while she is putting it on the pizzas. She also likes to put the pepperoni on, eating it while she does. The olives, too, she is such a little piggy, but she chattered the whole time, and I realized that her and I are going to have a grand year together when the other kids are in school.

We are going to go take a swim in the pool in a few minutes, then later when Paul gets back from his church meeting, we are going up to Lake Ontario to this place right on the water, for ice cream. I might just skip dinner so I can have a cone...