The Little Things

I always thought that I appreciated the little things in life, but I'm starting to realize that I haven't fully understood what the little things are.  With the death of my sister, I have started to look back at what I considered little things.  I used to think they were things like going to my parents for dinner and having a day off to help in Emma's Preschool classroom.  Don't get me wrong, these are little things but now they are so much more.

The little things are the things that I will miss out on with my sister.  They are texts that I will miss sending.  They are conversations that I will miss having.  They are trips to the Meijer Gardens, Critter Barn, and Aquatic Center.

The little things are reading a bedtime story, blowing kisses goodnight, and listening to your 5 year old say a prayer that makes you giggle.  They are showing up at your parents' house and seeing a familiar vehicle in the driveway.  They are wrapping an ugly red vinyl purse for Christmas, hiding it under the tree, and laughing hysterically when your she eagerly opens it to discover that it's the red purse that you've passed back and forth for years.

The little things are the cards that you find in a drawer that say, "Happy Birthday Sister" or "You're turning 1, Nephew".  They are taking the kids for pictures and sweating as we chase them around trying to get the "perfect" picture.  They are blowing out your birthday candles with all 3 three kids sitting on your lap, and they are sitting on the beach at the cottage watching the 4th of July fireworks explode above our heads.

These are just some of the little things that I know I am going to miss.  These are just some of the little things that I now treasure.  These are just some of the little things that I love.

 "Appreciate the little things"... hmmm... I think I'm only just beginning to discover just how many little things there are.