Only upon diving and after deep, deep breaths

There are days--most of them in March, when snow melts into ugly and we still wear coats and all the news is of rubble and rebels--that beauty waits like pirate treasure. And in these days, it is only upon diving and after deep, deep breaths, only upon digging and after scraping away the sand and grit, only upon pulling hard upon the lid, that I uncover anything that makes me clasp my hands together over my mouth and whisper "wow." Rare are these moments in March when my eyes close and flutter up thanks that He is capital G Good. Rare, but so very worth the hunt.

Diving in, with Ann and community, counting my domestic equivalent of golden Spanish doubloons from the bottom of the sea:

#121 Skype-built bridge to Istanbul, and

#122 Hearing her speak Turkish in her southern drawl.

#123 Green smoothies for St. Patrick's Day breakfast. (Proof that I make this list as I go--definitely wouldn't have made the list if looking back--see #142)

#124 Old video clips of kids cackling non-stop, then just one and three years old.

#125 Laughing at those babies cackling, laughing so hard we shake.

#126 The way Dani backs up her theories with "Right, Mama?"

#127 Green and gold glitter collecting on hardwood around the fridge. (I can't believe I'm grateful for glitter?)

#128 Disaster avoidance. (A long story, involving our landlord's assistant suggesting power washing the basement--the one that had just flooded.)

#129 Bird on a wire.

#130 Little girl and her shamrock pinwheel in the wind.

#131 Caed's Irish jig, and

#132 Dani's princess-ballet-jig imitation.

#133 Snow melting on driveway.

#134 Outdoor run, chasing spring.

#135 Dani's "I can do dot-to-dot on your cheek, Mama."

#136 My new "neighbor",

#137 And being friends long before we met (because of posts like these).

#138 Internet's on-demand coloring pages.


#139 Fraud protection on a stolen card.

#140 A boy who loves, loves, loves sports.

#141 Phone call from Maine, the voice of my dearly missed friend.

#142 Husband home when stomach virus reared ugly against our little boy.

#143 That these are only a few days in Caed's otherwise healthy childhood.

#144 Purell.

#145 Will I get in trouble if I add washing machines to the list too often?

#146 Gatorade slushies (Dad's invention) staying down, finally.

#147 The Three Stooges as Unaccustomed Tailors (another of Dad's ideas), the first thing to make Caed smile in days.

#148 All six years of him tucked tight in my lap.

#149 Grace that covers my fruitless worry.

#150 His first real food, a meal of 2 toast nibbles and 18 goldfish, my own loaves and fishes miracle.

#151 My girly-girl who couldn't care less that we must stay home all day, as long as she gets to wear "a summery dress with no tights."