The Best Place on Earth

Before I start todays story . . .

To those dear dear blog friends who left me such amazingly touching and supportive comments on my last post about "Who am I?" - I adore each and every one of you.  I can't even begin to tell you how much all of you mean to me.  I was in a pretty "Woe-Is-Me" mood, wasn't I? But every single one of you dear friends who commented just wrapped your arms around me and squeezed tight - and I felt it. I sat reading and re-reading your comments like crazy yesterday. Over and over. I smiled. I felt less alone and more whole than I have for a long time. I felt confirmed, once again, in this community of bloggers who I have come to adore. I felt blessed to have each and every one of you in my life - and I mean that sincerely. You each wrote such wonderful things to me ... reminding me that I haven't lost myself, and that I am just rediscovering, evolving and am a newer version of me. Is it crazy that I honestly never even thought of it that way before??? A newer version of ME. Exactly.

What would I do without each of you? Seriously? 

So, I thought about all of that . . .

And then, I went outside . . .

And I had a great day . . . with some other people who 'get me'. People who love me. Who tell me that I am; the worlds best artist, the worlds best story reader, the worlds best driver, the worlds best laundry doer, the worlds best dish wash loader, the worlds best snuggler, the worlds best colorer, the worlds best doctor, the worlds best teacher, the worlds best chef, the worlds best listener, the worlds best Mommy, the worlds best Wife, and the worlds best ME.

 These people. . .

This is my very favorite place to be in the whole wide world. For real. It's not Disney, or Paris, or even New York. It's not on a Broadway stage, or in a movie theater. It's not a concert festival, or a lake front. It's not in a bookstore or a limousine. It's our backyard. And that is my family.

Yes, our backyard. Not very grand. But oh-so happy.

The back corner there (behind our "state-of-the-art" pool) is our garden. Yes, it's small. You probably thought it was much much larger than that, for all of the complaining I've done over taking care of it this summer. But, that's really all it is. (Darn - my secrets are out!)

Yesterday, I stopped worrying about who I am . . . and I decided to just BE. again. I've done the "BE" thing before this summer . . . but yesterday it really was necessary. So, we went on a family bike ride (I know - the thought is pretty funny to even me - and I was there.) We had a little fruit salad picnic at the park. We returned home and spent a couple hours in our little pool. And for a brief moment, I stepped out of the pool just long enough to capture this photo. These three people make me so very very happy.

To them, I am the best just as I am. On good days and bad. So, underneath it all - all the questions and searching - I am very blessed that I have these 3 people who love me unconditionally - no matter who I am.

Life.is.good. Hard? yes. Not always happy? Of course. Confusing? Damn straight. But Good? Yes. Oh.so.good. Blow-up pool, and all.

Oh, and one more little PSA of 'thanks' to Melissa at Confessions of a Dr. Mom, who featured my blog in her Monday Morning Mama's post today! Dear Dr. Mom linked her post to my recent story on sending Katie off to her first day of school . . . something that tugged at my heart strings yet again this morning!!!

Confessions of a Dr. Mom (click her button to link to her) is a great blog written by, you guessed it, a pediatrician turned stay at home mom. Give her a visit, if you haven't met her yet!!! She's a keeper!!! THANKS, Dr. Mom!!!!